Shattered Realms
by MJLCoyoteStarrk
Summary: Aizen's defeat has left a tense peace between Arrancars and Soul Reapers. The resulting isolation has lasted for 200 years, only to be broken by a covert expedition from the Soul Society that has vanished. A small group is sent out to find out what happened only to find themselves facing the affects of the past while old heroes struggle w/their own pasts. Prologue has been updated
1. Prologue: End of the Beginning

**Shattered Realms**

**Written by Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

"_He wears a mask and his face grows to fit it."_

_-George Orwell, _Shooting an Elephant

**Prologue: End of the Beginning**

Aizen had fallen.

The time of war was over and the time for negotiations had begun.

The sun beat down on those assembling for the talks. A sand-sharpened wind blew over them as they made their way to the agreed on meeting place. The hills seemed to burn with the sun's heat. Two figures looked down from the top of one of the rocky hills in the Gobi Desert. The taller figure ran a hand through his brown hair while the smaller one placed a hand on the single-horned helmet on her head.

"It's odd, Lilynette. If it wasn't for this sun or heat, this place could very well be home."

"I don't like this, Starrk," Lilynette said. "What if they try something?"

"They won't," Starrk said. "They suffered losses as well and most of their commanders are still recovering from their wounds."

Starrk closed his eyes and lifted his face to the sun. While humans would find the heat undesirable, Coyote Starrk enjoyed it. The moon of Hueco Mundo could not offer the same sensation as sunlight. He felt a strong desire to just lie on the rocks and allow the sun's heat to beat on him while he took a nap. However, the business he had with the party below took top priority.

He looked over at Lilynette and could see that she was fidgeting. However, whether it was from the heat or the Soul Reapers below, he had no idea. He only knew that he needed to make sure that something was negotiated between the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo in order to avoid an unnecessarily prolonged war.

"Come along, Lilynette," he said. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can take a nap."

"Is that all you care about?" Lilynette asked.

The two made their way to the valley and Starrk was not surprised to see a Garganta open directly across from the Senkaimon Gate. In between the two openings, a simple, open-aired tent was being set up while two Soul Reapers were carrying a simple, wooden table. He watched as a group of Arrancars made their way out of the Garganta and was surprised that most of them were members of Szayel Aporro's fraccion.

_What are they doing here?_

He sighed and shook his head.

"Let's get this over with," he said.

They made their way to an open-air tent. Under the tent was a small, simple, wooden table with a chair on either side. A bottle of sake was on the middle of the table. On each side of the table was a drinking saucer, decorated with cherry blossoms, and a stack of papers that were held down with large, smooth river stones. The arrangement was made to where each chair was in front of either the Senkaimon or the Garganta.

Starrk approached his side of the table and stared at the old man who sat on the other side. The old man rose and looked at him. There was intensity in the air as the two leaders stared at each other. Starrk knew that he was looking at one of the most powerful and ancient and extremely dangerous beings in all of existence. Yamamoto, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, looked back at him.

"Well now, I'm glad to see that representatives of both sides could be present," a man wearing clogs and a green-and-white striped hat said as he approached the table. He held up a fan that said "LOVE" on one side and "PEACE" on the other. "I think that we've had enough of this moody silence. Now, let's make history. I, Kisuke Urahara, shall be your mediator today. With me is Shinji Hirako to represent the Visoreds."

He gestured to the blonde-haired man who stood behind Urahara's left side. He looked slightly annoyed with the proceedings. Starrk was surprised at how little hostility he felt radiating from the Visored leader, even though he killed one of his comrades.

_Is he like Harribel? Does he blame the deaths this war brought on Aizen as well?_

Starrk shrugged it off. The Visoreds were not the biggest threat that the Arrancars faced. He looked at Yamamoto. The real danger would always be the Gotei. And he could feel rage coming from most of the Soul Reapers present.

_Most of them would rather just kill us all and be done with it,_ Starrk thought.

"Well," Starrk said, sighing. "Let's get this over with so that we can get back to hating each other without shaking the worlds." He looked at Yamamoto in that bored and tired manner that he mastered long ago. "We need this war to end. Neither of us can afford to continue this war and we both know it. This all started with Aizen. What do you say that we just end it with him?"

"Aizen was the catalyst of the Winter War," Yamamoto said. "He stands as the most notorious traitor in the Gotei's prestigious history. However, the Arrancar Army carried out his will. You killed one of our most powerful Captains, Primera, and several of our Lieutenants were lost."

"HEY!" Lilynette cried out. "Who are you to dare to act so high-and-mighty? You Soul Reapers invaded our home and tried to trash it and kill us! Stop being so self-righteous and preachy, _Captain Wrinkles_."

Yamamoto slightly opened one of his eyes and glared at the Arrancar child. Lilynette gulped and then slipped behind Starrk. Starrk sighed and shook his head at his other part's behavior. Lilynette peeked over Starrk's shoulder and her eye narrowed.

Shinji watched this and a slight smile came on his face at Lilynette's dig at Yamamoto. Urahara covered his own slight smile with his fan and kept an eye on the Captain-Commander.

"That's enough, Lilynette," Starrk said, tapping his chin idly. "I thought you agreed to behave yourself. However," he said and turned his attention back to Yamamoto, "she does have a point. You invaded our home, killing and destroying and looting. However, we never even touched the Soul Society."

Lilynette pulled herself further up Starrk's back and stuck her tongue out at Yamamoto from her perch.

_Oh man,_ Kisuke thought. _I love the parallels. Although I would like to see the whole set as opposed to just their equivalent of Shunsui and Yachiru._

"That…is…irrelevant," Yamamoto said in a slow and dangerous manner. "You and the other Espada elite invaded the World of the Living to assist Aizen in an act of mass soul destruction. You have no moral high ground. If you seek to place the blame on the Gotei 13 then this meeting has no real purpose," he said, unmoved.

"I'm not blaming you for this war. As far as I'm concerned, Aizen started this war. But now that Aizen is finished, his war is also over. I have control over the Arrancar Army and I have no intention of returning to war. However, if there is to be another war, it will be your war. Now, are we going to settle on at least some kind of peace proposal or will it be a new war?" Starrk asked.

He ran a hand through his brown hair while the other fondled with the pommel of his Zanpakuto. He looked at Yamamoto and was pleased that Yamamoto was at least still sitting across from him. Yamamoto opened his eyes slightly and the two leaders stared into each other's eyes.

"You speak as though the matter at hand was somehow settled. However, there were many who advised me against coming to these talks. The slaying of Hollows is a sacred duty for those in the Gotei. Making peace with them would be deemed heresy in many circles of our society."

Starrk was about to respond when an Arrancar stepped up beside him. The Arrancar had an afro of orange hair. His uniform made Starrk think that he must have been into going to disco clubs, such as Studio 54, in the 1970s. His mask fragment was like a visor with a blue star in the center.

"I'm sorry for interrupting," Gantenbainne said. "But, Szayel Aporro's fraccion want in on the discussions."

"Well, they can't all come in," Starrk moaned, rubbing his eyes. "Just have one of the smaller ones come in, and not the one that keeps bouncing around as if he…or she…or whatever was some kind of beach ball."

"What is this?" Yamamoto asked.

_Hmm,_ Starrk thought. _He doesn't sound angry. Is he genuinely puzzled? Nah, he most likely has a very good poker face._

Gantenbainne returned with an Arrancar who was a little over 4 feet tall. The Arrancar's mask fragment was rather large and covered the top of his head and somewhat resembled a fish. The Arrancar was somewhat nervous and looked up at Gantenbainne and then back to Starrk.

"Well, I take it that you want to say something," Starrk said.

The Arrancar jumped a little bit and didn't know how to proceed. Instead, he just stood where he was and fidgeted with his hands.

"I think he's a little shy," Gantenbainne said. "Sir, you were about to say something."

"You're right," Starrk said and turned his attention to Yamamoto. "I find that even considering Arrancars the same as a regular Hollow is an insult and shows how foolish the Soul Society is. We Arrancars have evolved into something that your ancient, out-of-date laws never even considered.

"I think that we all know what that means. We are all aware of how the Soul Society deals with any species that don't figure in to your status-quo. We can just ask the Bounts if they weren't all dead. Perhaps we can bring in the Quincy. I wonder how many other beings you've butchered over the millennia."

"A new species of Hollow that could do nothing but bow to a traitor has no place condemning the actions of the Soul Society," Yamamoto snarled.

"Well, this is going to take a while," Shinji moaned. "They're both getting on their high horses, although it might take the Primera a year just to get on it."

"Now, now," Urahara interrupted, waving his hand. "This is a peace conference, gentlemen." He grabbed the bottle from the center of the table and with the ease of an expert, popped the cork with one hand. He poured some of the sake into each saucer. "Let's try to keep it civil. Politicians should at least try to be civil while in public. After all, we're not American politicians. So, let's start by placing the blame solely on Aizen's well-deserving shoulders and then move on to the bargaining. Shall we?"

"Well, Aizen was a traitor," the Captain-Commander said as he picked up his saucer.

"And he was a liar who only made us to cast us aside later," Starrk said as he picked up his own saucer.

"WONDERFUL!" Urahara shouted. "Isn't it great when we find something we can all agree on? Now, someone has been patient. So before we get to the haggling, Mister Fraccion, what brings you to the table?"

The Arrancar gave a little jump. He looked at Kisuke and then to Yamamoto. He fidgeted a little before giving a slight bow.

"I…I'm sorry," he muttered. "It's just that we…we want our Master back."

"Who was your master?" Yamamoto asked.

"Our Master," the Arrancar said, gaining confidence. "Our Master is the Light of Perfection in our existence. He is our Creator and the true Divine Being."

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Yamamoto shouted.

"I…I don't understand," the Arrancar whispered. "Why would you deny us our Master?"

"I refuse to release Aizen from our custody," Yamamoto snarled.

The Arrancar looked confused and then a look of rage came onto his face.

"You…you think that…that unenlightened, pompous fool is our Master?" the Arrancar asked. His voice betrayed the indignation he felt. "Then again, you yourself are nothing more than an unenlightened, pompous fool as well. You dare to confuse that…that _usurper_ with the only one worthy of being our Master."

"Oh great," Starrk moaned.

"Am I missing something?" Yamamoto asked. He didn't know whether to be confused, shocked, or infuriated with the Arrancar's indiscretion.

"We wish for Master Szayel Aporro Granz to be restored to us."

"I see," Yamamoto said. "Unfortunately, your former…Master…has been given over to Captain Kurotsuchi for his own personal research."

"I…I understand, but we…we who serve Lord Granz are willing to do anything so that he may be returned to us. We are lost without him to shine his glorious radiance on the path he wishes for us to take in order to achieve greater learning and a higher level of perfection."

"Which would most likely lead to his belly," Lilynette mumbled.

At that moment Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi rushed to the table. The group looked at the insane Captain whose grin was larger than usual and not only showed his yellow teeth, but also his bruised gums as well.

"I'm sorry for interrupting," he said, not sounding sorry at all. "I couldn't help but overhear."

"I bet you could, Captain Kurotsuchi," Yamamoto muttered.

"I will handle the negotiations with this…Arrancar," he purred. "From one scientist to another if you know what I mean."

Yamamoto was about to refuse and then thought better of it. He never trusted Mayuri the way he trusted some of the other Captains, but he knew what Mayuri wanted: more subjects to turn into his twisted experiments. He realized that this would be an excellent opportunity to use Mayuri's selfishness to their advantage. In the end, it didn't really matter whether or not they got Szayel Aporro back. He was still held in the grip of whatever drug Mayuri used on him and would stay that way no matter how long or how hard his fraccion tried to revive him.

"Fine," Yamamoto said. "You can handle that bit of negotiation, Captain Kurotsuchi." He leaned closer to Mayuri. "I trust that you can make sure that any arrangements you make will work in _our_ favor," he whispered.

"Thank you, sir," Mayuri said and looked at the Arrancar. "I'm sure we can come to some kind of…arrangement."

The Arrancar nodded eagerly and Starrk knew that it would do no good to try to get Szayel Aporro's fraccion to think clearly in their negotiations. They were too eager and both Yamamoto and Kurotsuchi knew it. They would agree to anything if it meant getting Szayel Aporro's body returned to them and that kind of behavior could be as dangerous as being too arrogant and stubborn in any negotiation.

"Now that bit of business is being taken care of, let's get onto more important matters," Yamamoto said.

"And I suggest that we bring in our Secondary Witnesses in as well," Starrk said. "Visored," he said, turning to Shinji, "do you have a Secondary?"

"Nope," Shinji said, shrugging. "None of the other remaining Visoreds who weren't too injured to come wished to do so. As their leader, I knew I had to come to make sure that nothing agreed upon here would endanger my remaining Comrades."

"I understand," Starrk said. "Gantenbainne, please send him in."

"As you wish," Gantenbainne said as he walked towards a group of Arrancars who were standing to the side.

"I summon Captain Retsu Unohana to the table," Captain Commander Yamamoto said.

Kisuke nodded his head and gave a wave of his fan. Tessai brought in two more chairs and set them next to each other across from where Kisuke was sitting. He placed two more porcelain drinking saucers in front of them and poured some Sake into each one. Yamamoto watched as Unohana sat down and then turned his attention to Starrk's Secondary. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Starrk's choice.

He was certain that Starrk would most likely chose the female Espada, Harribel. But she was not the one he chose to be his Second. The Arrancar who was now sitting next to Unohana was the blue-haired former Espada whom Kurosaki befriended during the attack on Las Noches. Yamamoto was tempted to ask Starrk about his choice, but decided not to.

"What's up, Gramps?" Grimmjow asked, giving his signature smirk. Yamamoto glared at Grimmjow for the insult. "Ooh, I'm so scared," Grimmjow said, his voice oozing with sarcasm.

"Now, now, there's no insulting each other here," Urahara said. "We don't want to cause any more fights."

"I agree," Unohana said. "However, the fact that we are here indicates that we are more than willing to make peace. Isn't that right, Mr. Jaegerjaquez?"

Grimmjow nodded when he saw that Unohana was giving the smile she reserved for members of Squad 11. He sunk down in his chair and kept looking at Unohana out of the corner of his eyes as though afraid she might bite his head off.

Yamamoto nodded. Even though many of the Soul Reapers present felt deep hatred and fear against the Arrancars none of them were a part of the War Hawk Party that was gaining influence in the Soul Society and were advocating the complete annihilation of the Arrancars and all Hollows in Hueco Mundo. Yamamoto was not surprised that many of the War Hawk leaders were declaring him a traitor to the Soul King and the Sacred Laws just for being here, he most likely would have been one of them if someone else was sitting in this chair, but it was his duty as the Captain-Commander to be present at any negotiations that the Gotei took part in.

"Excuse me," Tessai said. "But there's another Arrancar who wishes to be present. He says that he's representing the fraccion whose masters were killed in the Winter War."

"Send him in," Yamamoto said.

"I am Findor Carias," the long, blonde-haired Arrancar who walked in said with a bow.

"Please, stand next to Grimmjow," Kisuke said.

Findor gave a slight bow and did as Kisuke said.

"And why is that young lady present?" Unohana asked as she noticed Lilynette.

Lilynette looked at her in surprise. Unohana smiled at her gently. Lilynette jumped a little and smiled back as she pressed herself closer to Starrk for protection. Starrk sighed and put a hand on her head.

"Well, of course she would be here," Shinji said. "She is this Espada's actual Zanpakuto," he said as he began picking his nose.

Mayuri straightened at that and looked at Lilynette with interest. His eyes narrowed and his grin became wide. Starrk noticed this and glared at Mayuri like a wolf protecting its cubs. Mayuri flinched and his smile faltered.

"Before we begin," Starrk said. "I need to make certain of something. Captain-Commander, Aizen told us that Central 46 was the true authority in the Soul Society. I must know whether or not you have the authority to make any sort of treaty. If you do, will it hold when your Central 46 is re-established?"

"Our Laws declare that whenever the Soul Society is in a State of Emergency, absolute authority is to be given to the Gotei's Captain-Commander. The murder of Central 46, Aizen's betrayal, and the Winter War most certainly demanded that the Gotei declare a State of Emergency. Therefore, my seal is binding in matters of law and war as long as it is for the protection of the Soul Society. Now, I must return the question to you. Do you have authority on making any sort of treaty since you were once under Aizen's command?"

"I can't blame you for asking that. We don't exactly have a sacred law that we can turn to, but I suppose the closest thing we have is: 'Obey the Powerful.' With Aizen defeated and Baraggan dead, that applies to me as the Primera Espada. Since Harribel stands by my side in this there is no one on the horizon who can challenge my authority," he said, rubbing the sides of his head as if the whole thing was too much trouble. "I have control over the Arrancar Army. They will obey my authority or die.

"Although," he said after a slight pause, "I have no control over the other Hollows. Some who were allied to Aizen may pledge their loyalty to us, but they'll still be your problem."

"ALRIGHTY!" Kisuke shouted. "Now that we've established credentials… How about we get to the drinking and whatever diplomatic stuff needs to be done?"

"Well, let's start with one that I know all of the Arrancars and Hollows want," Starrk said. "The Soul Society and their allies are forbidden from stepping foot in Hueco Mundo without our permission. However, Las Noches will remain opened so long as it is to maintain peaceful relations."

"I want to add something," Shinji said. "The Visoreds are not to be hunted down anymore. We had to stay in a filthy warehouse because Central 46 was still sending out parties of their…hunting dogs to find and eliminate us. Their justification was that we achieved Hollowfication by insidious methods. However, Aizen essentially confessed to his crimes by his actions. _Our_ actions should be enough to repeal the Search-and-Destroy order against us."

_Damn,_ Yamamoto thought. _A peace treaty with the Arrancars is one thing, but allowing the Visoreds to return from exile will cause a riot. The Gotei's too weak right now to deal with the populace._

"That may be difficult," Yamamoto said. "Guilt or innocence does not change the fact that you now have Hollow abilities and there will always be those who will want to destroy you. Therefore, you will still be exiled from the Soul Society."

"I don't remember asking for our exile to be reversed," Shinji moaned.

Starrk noticed that Shinji's voice could not completely hide the hurt that was in his heart. The Visoreds were forced from their homes and reviled by those they once thought of as their comrades. For over a hundred years they were hunted and sentenced to death by the very society and laws they swore to protect. The Winter War gave them a chance at being able to return home. But now they would always remain Exiles.

"And I don't want any Arrancars trying to wage war against the Soul Society again," Yamamoto said. "The Arrancar Army is to be disbanded and no one in Las Noches or Hueco Mundo for that matter is to build an army for the purpose of invading the Soul Society. If you want to kill each other that's your business."

"Wow, we're off to a great start," Kisuke said as he brought out a pen and began writing. "Uh…do you think you can repeat those demands for me?"

_**Seireitei: Shortly after the Signing of the Gobi Treaty**_

Even though the Captain's Meeting Hall was designed to be grand in scale and humble in décor it still held an imposing air even at the best of times. Legends among the lower-ranking Shinigami attributed the uneasiness in the Hall to the Reiatsu of the Captains that still lingered even though most of those Captains had since departed to either the Royal Guard or the grave.

But it was never intended to be a place of ease. Only the Captain-Commander was permitted to sit while the other Captains were made to stand vigil in this place that was originally devoted to war without end. Today, there was no illusion to serenity.

"This…IS AN INSULT!" Sui-Feng shouted after Yamamoto finished reading the Gobi Treaty. "It's an insult to those who lost their lives fighting against these…these…MONSTERS!"

Despite standing flawlessly at attention, the Captain Assassin seemed to quake with her barely contained emotions. She was clutching her copy of the treaty in a tight fist and could barely restrain herself from tearing the thing up. Captains Komamura and Hitsugaya regarded her with evident concern. Kenpachi grinned, but chose not to lick his teeth in glee at the intent to kill that radiated from Sui-Feng. Instead, he held up his copy of the Treaty and waved it around.

"YEAH!" he shouted. "And where's my idea of opening Hueco Mundo to Squad 11 for 'Training Exercises'?"

"SILENCE!" Yamamoto roared. "The Treaty has been agreed to by both sides and we have the advantage."

"How do we have the advantage?" Sui-Feng asked.

Her face was still lined with rage and her eyes seemed to burn. However, the slight tremor was gone along with her rigid posture as she clutched the stump where her left arm had been. Most of the Captains didn't look at her, except for Mayuri who gave a shrug.

"I got the specimens I wanted," he said as though that was answer enough.

Even though the smile on Mayuri's face was much more subdued that Kenpachi's signature slasher-grin, the face paint seemed to make it more unnerving. Kyoraku looked from Kenpachi to Mayuri and shuddered as he pushed his hat down over his eyes a little bit more.

"Yeah, you did," Sui-Feng said, clearly agitated. "YOU GOT THEM IN EXCHANGE FOR RETURNING SZAYEL APORRO GRANZ TO THEM! What if the Arrancars find a way to revive him? Did you ever think about that possibility? Tch…a thousand Arrancars like the ones who gave themselves over to you are not a fair exchange for one Espada, even if it was the Eighth."

"Ah, but I do see it as a fair exchange," Mayuri said, his voice sounded as if he was chiding a child. "After all, they obviously have some healing capabilities since Szayel Aporro only had to devour one of them in order to reverse the damage that the Quincy dealt him. That could be very useful to us.

"Besides," he continued with a dismissive wave of his hand, "they won't be able to find a way to reverse the drug. My chemicals are full-proof and cannot be reversed without the proper antidote, which only I know how to make. Their interrogations also made integrating the plunder from Las Noches into my database as smooth as can be expected."

"THAT'S NOT REASSURING!" Sui-Feng shouted. "Have you ever thought that they might stumble upon the antidote, even by accident? Restoring their top scientific researcher is sure to be a top priority for them."

"Tch…they're Arrancars. They lack the proper level of intelligence to even stumble upon the correct antidote. Besides, he is an inferior intellect, not even worthy of calling himself a scientist. His restoration would mean nothing more than having to squash a bug a second time."

Sui-Feng gritted her teeth. She turned to Kyoraku who was still hiding his eyes, but she could tell that he was looking at her.

"Kyoraku, you're not going to stand for this, are you? Those Arrancars killed your best friend."

"If you're looking for me to agree with you, Captain Sui-Feng, I'm sorry to disappoint you," he said. "Ukitake would not want the fighting to continue. It's like you said, he was my best friend. As his friend, I must honor his memory and for me to do that then I must accept the Treaty."

Sui-Feng looked at Kyoraku. She was obviously hurt and Kyoraku could only sigh and look away. She turned her attention to Komamura. If any of the other Captains could understand what she was going through, then he most certainly would.

"Komamura," she said. "Your Lieutenant died in battle just as mine did. Are you going to let this Treaty insult his memory?"

"I…just want this war to be over," Komamura said as he closed his eyes. "There have been too many deaths and vengeance will not bring any of them back. I think that Tosen may have realized that towards the end and he had me promise to do whatever I could to bring about peace before he died. If this Treaty is what will bring about peace, then I will accept it."

Sui-Feng could swear that she could not only still feel her arm rotting away, but it felt as though her heart was rotting away as well. She looked at Kyoraku and Komamura. She looked at Unohana and saw that she would not find any support from her. Byakuya only looked as stoic as ever, but she had a feeling that he would not go against Captain-Commander Yamamoto in this regard. The only Captain who showed any sign of being willing to agree with her was Kenpachi and that would only be because he wanted to have a shot at fighting the Third and Primera Espadas.

She could not believe that this was happening. Her fellow Captains were willing to set aside their sacred calling. She fought back the tears that were threatening to break free. She knew that she had treated Omaeda badly, but in the end he sacrificed himself so that she could live. Now, they were just going to let his death be in vain.

"Why?" she whispered. "Are you…are you just going to let their deaths be in vain?"

No one answered. Then Toshiro stepped forward and sighed. He looked at her. Their eyes locked.

"This argument is pointless," he said. Sui-Feng felt the words hit her like a barrage of ice. "The Treaty has been signed by both parties and it is binding in accordance with the Laws. We need to focus on rebuilding our forces, because you know that the Arrancars will be doing the same. How do we know that they will keep to the treaty? We need to be prepared in case they decide to turn against us.

"However, we should not rush into another war so soon after we came out of this one. Lieutenant Matsumoto would most likely be dead if Miss Inoue had not intervened and she has sworn to restore your arm, Captain Sui-Feng, when a peace agreement could be agreed upon. We are short four Captains and too many Lieutenants. Squad Five," he stopped and bit his lower lip in an effort to fight back his own tears. "Squad Five does not have anyone to lead them. And you," he said, returning his focus to Sui-Feng, "…you dare to think that we are fit to invade Las Noches when its mightiest warriors could be ready for us? I did not think you a fool, Sui-Feng. If you want to honor your Lieutenant's sacrifice, then do what you have to in order to strengthen your squad to where it can effectively protect the Soul Society."

Sui-Feng looked at Toshiro and nodded. Omaeda wouldn't have wanted her to just charge off on her own in some fool's errand at vengeance. He would have wanted her to become a stronger Captain.

"So, what do you suggest?" Kenpachi asked.

They could tell that he had not paid attention to what Toshiro said. He was too excited at the prospect of a bloody and chaotic invasion of Las Noches. All that he cared about was seeing the white sands stained with the blood of Soul Reaper and Arrancar alike.

"We wait," Toshiro said. "We keep watch. We strengthen our forces. Now is the time to rebuild our might."

"Captain Hitsugaya's assessment in this matter is correct," Yamamoto said. "This Treaty works to our advantage since it will give the Soul Society and the Gotei 13 time to rebuild. Aizen's betrayal cost us three Captains. The Winter War caused us to lose one of our best Captains as well as several Lieutenants. Even though I believe that the Arrancar Army suffered greater losses, I believe that winning the war at this point would be fruitless." Murmurs rose at that and the ancient Captain-Commander struck the floor with his cane to silence them. The other Captains fell silent and, except for Mayuri and Unohana, looked at him with varying degree of puzzlement.

"Sir," Captain Kuchiki said. "While I respect your will in this, I am rather puzzled by what you mean."

"In all likelihood, the Soul Society would be able to wipe out the Arrancar Army. However, we would have to fight the battle alone. Even though Kurosaki is still recovering from his injuries, he has made it clear that he supports peace and sending his allies back to living their own lives. The Visoreds see their part in the war finished with Aizen's defeat. For them the threat to Karakura Town is over."

"I see," Unohana said. "A pyrrhic victory against the Arrancars will only cripple the Soul Society."

"While that may be true," Mayuri said. "It doesn't need to be. If certain restrictions were lifted…" he trailed off and looked at the Captain-Commander.

"The Soul Society shall have peace," Yamamoto said, ignoring Mayuri. "That peace shall be used to restore the Gotei's military might. The Arrancars are little more than evolved Hollows. It is in their nature to fight among themselves. Since the Treaty will confine them to Hueco Mundo and over the course of time, they might do the work for us.

"However, if they return as a threat in the future, then the Gotei shall stand stronger than before. We will be prepared to wipe their race from the face of existence in any and all worlds," Yamamoto declared.

His words echoed in the Hall with the note of finality.

_**200 Years Later**_

Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki made her way down the corridor to the Captain's Meeting Hall. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, bathing the white walls and oak wood floors with its light. Her echoing footsteps filled the empty passage.

She tried to think of why she would be summoned before the Captain's Assembly. Lieutenants were more likely to be summoned to important meetings than most, but it was irregular. If there was one thing she learned from her childhood on the streets, where each day was a struggle to survive, to being in the ranks of the nobility and military it was that any irregularity could be a bad thing. What was even more irregular was that the Captain's Assembly had met only a few days before.

_Perhaps they summoned me to discuss something they decided on,_ she thought.

It was the only thing she could think of, but it was better than not knowing what awaited her.

_Damn it,_ she thought. _ One would think that having friends and family wearing the White, I would have a better idea of what's going on._

She continued down the hall until she was in front of the large double doors that lad into the Meeting Hall. She sighed and stood at attention against the wall, waiting to be summoned. She felt that this was the part of life that she hated most: wasting time in the name of duty both as an officer and as a noblewoman waiting. She wished that she could get away with doing some doodling. She found that drawing Chappy the Rabbit or drawing her friends' faces helped her to relax and pass the time.

She remembered comparing her drawings from 200 years before to what they were now. She knew that she would never become a Rembrandt or a Van Gogh, but now her people looked like people instead of just rabbits or bears. Her room was filled with her drawings. Each one seemed to mark a milestone in some improvement. Her favorite piece was a drawing her brother did for her of his Seaweed Ambassador wishing her a happy birthday that he gave her shortly after the Winter War. It was the first thing he ever gave her that seemed to verify that he loved her as his little sister.

She brought herself out of the memories as she heard shouting coming from the other side. She sighed in frustration. She hoped that she wouldn't have to hear the Captains spend hours arguing again. They didn't intimidate her as much as they used to, but there were some who she wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of, especially among the newer Captains. The shouting became even louder and Rukia rolled her eyes. Bickering and arguing was annoying to listen to period.

She remembered that some of the other members of the Gotei were spreading rumors about arguments going on in Central 46. That was not surprising to her. When you got a bunch of politicians together arguments were sure to multiply like a virus. Perhaps the thing that unnerved her was the growing gap between the Gotei and Central 46. It was almost as if two different factions were growing and if they weren't careful then it would divide the Soul Society.

At that moment the door opened and a group of five people walked out. She immediately stood at attention before she registered who they were. Four of the people were wearing uniforms of a more Western design that were a grey so dark that they were nearly black. The thin-legged trousers were tucked into a pair of black boots. They wore purple sashes around their waists with their Zanpakuto tucked under the wrapping with a golden cord wrapped horizontally around sheath and vertically around the sash with the ends tied together in an ornate knot. They wore a purple tagelmust that covered their head and most of their faces, leaving only their eyes exposed.

She tried to keep calm, but a tiny gasp escaped from her lips.

_Oh sweet Chappy,_ she thought. _What are the Faceless doing here?_

In the middle of the group was a man with a small, pointed chin beard. He was leaning on a gold-headed cane and walked with a rather pronounced limp. She saw the purple and gold armband and knew that he was one of Central 46's errand boys. She took one look on his face and knew that he was angry about something.

"That damn fool," the man said as he limped out of the Meeting Hall. His entourage of Faceless kept pace with him. "Doesn't he understand who he's…?" he stopped when he noticed Rukia. "Ah, Lieutenant Kuchiki," he said and gave a slight bow.

"What brings an esteemed Representative from Central 46 here?" Rukia asked. She focused her attention towards Faceless surrounding him. "And why would you need so many of the 'honorable' Protectors?"

Not even Sui-Feng would stoop so low as to invite even one of these so-called "Protectors" into the hallowed halls of Squad 1's Barracks. Sui-Feng may be a member of the Hawks, but she was still a member of the Gotei and the Gotei viewed the Faceless as an insult from Central 46.

Yet this errand boy from Central 46 dared to bring four of them with him. He gave a slight smirk.

"That's Central 46's business; not yours," he said. "I would suggest that you keep that in mind."

_The bastard's dodging,_ Rukia thought. _He just doesn't want to admit that he brought the Faceless to mock us._

"Now hold on…" Rukia began.

She was about to make a move when one of the Faceless held out a hand to her. She looked at the hand pressed against her chest and then looked into the man's eyes. They both glared at each other, the air between them filling with rage.

"That's enough," the Representative said. "We have no time to get into arguments with these…Gotei," he spat. "Central 46 will want to hear of his decision as soon as possible."

Rukia glared at the backs of the five men from Central 46.

"Lieutenant Kuchiki, you may enter," the door keeper said from behind her.

She jumped a little and looked at the bowing man, all thoughts of her encounter with the Representative driven from her mind. She wondered where he came from. Each time she was summoned here she noticed that the door keepers would seem to pop out of nowhere. She had a theory that Sui-Feng's unit had rookies assigned to this position to train them on the proper techniques of how to pop out of nowhere.

_Like cute little ninja bunnies with cute little carrot nunchaku,_ she thought. She had to stifle a laugh as the image popped in her mind.

"Thank you," Rukia said and entered.

The Captain's Meeting Hall had not changed in all of the centuries the Gotei used it. She saw that the Captains were standing in the traditional double-line, facing each other. She looked straight ahead to where the Captain-Commander sat. She bowed in respect to those assembled.

"Captain-Commander Kuchiki," She said, "you summoned me?"

"I have, Lieutenant Kuchiki," Captain-Commander Byakuya Kuchiki said. "Please step forward."

Rukia knew that she should be used to this, but she always felt nervous when facing the Captain's Assembly. She took a deep breath to relax and caused her mind to let go of any worries she had. She knew that she was not without friends in the Assembly.

She looked to where Ichigo Kurosaki stood. She noticed that he wore a grim expression on his face and that troubled her. However, when Ichigo saw her looking at him his face softened and he gave her that comforting smile he always gave.

_He wears the White well,_ she thought. _If only his old school detractors could see him now._

She remembered how several high ranking officials protested Yamamoto giving Ichigo Aizen's old position. It was unheard of for someone so young to be made a Captain in such a short amount of time. But it mostly had to do with how Ichigo was technically a Visored, even though he always identified himself as a Soul Reaper. Rukia suspected that Yamamoto gave Ichigo the position in order to help wash Squad Five clean of Aizen's legacy by having a Hero lead them.

There were other new faces among the Captains, but she only glanced over them. The face that she focused on now was her brother's. She still felt proud when she saw him in his role as Captain-Commander. However, her brother had not wanted the role that was practically forced upon him. She remained bowing to him, and by extension the other assembled Captains, until Byakuya told her she could rise.

It had been hard for anyone to believe that Genryusai Yamamoto could die. However, only two years before his death, when he stepped down from his position, he had said that he was not a god. Some thought that it was sad for a great warrior like Yamamoto to fall to a disease. However, Rukia thought that the old warrior would be pleased that his long, violent life had a peaceful end.

Choosing Byakuya to replace him had naturally been a political matter. Central 46 wanted someone with Yamamoto's power and yet also someone who they could most likely manipulate to fit their agenda. The upper-level Officers in the Gotei 13, however, wanted one of the two senior Captains to succeed him, as Yamamoto made clear to them. However, since both the Gotei 13 and Central 46 had to agree by majority vote in both parties on who was going to be named Captain-Commander, the matter became deadlocked.

Central 46 feared another great leader who would set them aside if they chose, and the ideals that Captains Unohana and Kyoraku held to went against their agenda. In the same manner, the Gotei Captains did not want someone who was nothing more than Central 46's lapdog to lead them and all of Central 46's early nominations were therefore unacceptable. Thus, they had to compromise.

Byakuya's nomination was something that both parties could agree on. He was powerful, but not too powerful. Many in Central 46 admired him for fighting against Rukia's rescue since they believed that it meant that he would obey their decisions.

_And how you've disappointed them since,_ Rukia thought, fondly. _You refused to be their lapdog._

She could tell that the Captains were on edge. Even her brother was frowning, and it was not his usual expression. The only one who seemed to be enjoying the tension was Kenpachi and that was never a good sign.

"I am at your service," Rukia said.

"Lieutenant, we have summoned you here for an assignment. It is a long-term and highly classified assignment," Byakuya said. _And highly dangerous,_ his voice seemed to say.

"If she agrees," Ichigo broke in.

Rukia didn't bother resisting the sigh. He would just never learn to follow protocol. His influence on his squad showed. If it wasn't for Squad 11, then Squad 5 would be seen as the largest groups of delinquents in the Gotei.

"Kurosaki," Sui-Feng spoke up, glaring at him. "You're more than willing to support any decision that we make except for the ones that go against your wishes. You should really be more willing to make some compromises. Besides, the matter is decided." Ichigo glared at her but held his tongue. "Lieutenant Kuchiki," she continued. "What do you know about Las Noches?" Rukia was not expecting that question.

"Well, it's a massive structure in Hueco Mundo. It covers an area roughly the same size as the entire Seireitei. We believe that it was constructed by Aizen during his years conspiring against the Soul Society, but we can't be sure on that matter. Its dome has a high-level of Kido to imitate the daylight sky in the World of the…"

"And what do you know about the Arrancar?" Sui-Feng interrupted.

"Uh…they're Hollows who removed most of their masks and regained a mostly human form. They use their Zanpakuto to seal their Hollow powers rather than Familiars. They possess Hierro as natural armor and use a speed technique called 'Sonído.'

"They were created by the Traitor, Aizen, to serve as soldiers for the Winter War. While Aizen was defeated, his army was still powerful enough to withdraw from the field. To my knowledge they have remained in Hueco Mundo ever since the Gobi Treaty was signed."

"Then you know as much as the Assembly does, Lieutenant," the Captain-Commander said.

Rukia didn't know what to make of the statement. She was still confused of as to _why_ she was asked about Las Noches and the Arrancars.

"Haven't you ever heard the one about fixing things that aren't broken?" Ichigo asked.

"And haven't you heard, 'Always prepare for the worst'?" one of the newer Captains asked. "This expedition is a necessity. For all we know the Arrancars could be preparing for war. If they are then we need to know so that way we can gather our full strength and strike them before they have a chance to strike against us."

"I…I'm sorry, but did you say 'expedition', Captain?" Rukia asked, confusion filling her mind.

Captain Nakamura turned his frown on her. The new Captain of Squad Nine was only slightly taller than Rukia with a broad, powerful build with closely cropped black hair. His hard eyes glared at her from behind his glasses. In many ways Rukia thought he looked like a teacher scolding one of his more troublesome students.

"That is correct," Byakuya said. "We have decided, after much deliberation, to send an expedition to Hueco Mundo to look into the state of affairs in Las Noches and with the Arrancars."

Rukia was too stunned to say anything, which was probably a good thing. When Byakuya noticed that Rukia was able to comprehend what he told her he nodded for her speak, thus avoiding a breach in protocol.

"But…Nee—I mean Captain-Commander, wouldn't the Arrancars see this as a violation of the Gobi Treaty?" Rukia asked with only a slight tremor in her voice.

She knew that, regardless of how you looked at it, it was a violation of the Gobi Treaty. She wasn't afraid of the prospect of battle, but she did remember. She remembered how costly the Winter War had been and the lives lost. She thought that another war against the Arrancars could be just as bad, if not worse.

"That is why we will be cautious," Byakuya said. "Captain Kurotsuchi, please explain what you and your team in the Department of Research and Development have come up with."

"Of course," Mayuri said, nodding his head and giving his sinister grin.

"We are currently developing a new type of Gigai that will allow the members of the expedition to have many of the same properties as an Arrancar. These pseudo-Arrancar Gigai will indeed be a new milestone in the Gigai development process.

"Thanks to the data and samples gathered from the specimens I acquired during the Winter War, I have been able to recreate the Hierro skin they have as well as having a chance to study their Reiatsu. The tests and theories recorded by the Octava Espada have also extended our knowledge of Arrancar anatomy immensely, thus making this project possible.

"Once the Soul Reaper is in the Gigai, they will be completely registered by any observer not properly equipped as an Arrancar. Of course, even as we speak, tests are being run to ensure that should any…undesirable side-effects show themselves, we can easily deal with them.

"Barring unforeseen developments we should be able to equip the expedition a relatively short period of time and begin the integration process," Mayuri practically cackled as he ranted about his new favorite subject, these Arrancar Gigais.

_He may be a crazy, sadistic fuck, but he loves his job,_ Rukia mused.

Sui-Feng muttered something under her breath that Rukia couldn't quite make out. The one-armed Captain stood rigid as usual. Her short hair and lower face were covered in the black mask of her Execution Force. Her resemblance to the Faceless was a little too much, but, in Sui-Feng's defense, her unit had worn such long before the Faceless existed. Plus, she still wore the traditional uniform and not the newer European-style uniforms that the Faceless wore. However, her eyes went to the crimson hawk that was sewn on the right breast of her white haori.

Rukia took all attention away from Sui-Feng and found that she wanted to know more about these "undesirable side-effects" that Mayuri mentioned. She wanted to ask about them, especially if one of the leading War Hawks was skeptical about this plan. However, she knew that any seated officer who was summoned before a Captain's Meeting was never permitted to ask any questions except when given permission by the Captain-Commander.

"Thank you, Captain Kurotsuchi," Byakuya said and turned his attention back to his sister. "We are currently reviewing applicants to see if they are physically and mentally fit to take part in this expedition."

"And my Squad is getting the lion's share," Kenpachi said, grinning.

_Wait a minute,_ Rukia thought. _If this is supposed to be an expedition then why is Squad 11 getting the majority of the positions? Are we trying to gather intelligence or are we provoking the Arrancars?_

"Central 46 has given me the authority to determine who will lead this expedition," Byakuya said. "After all, this expedition was all but demanded by me."

_That would explain the arguments in Central 46,_ Rukia thought. _I wonder what those pompous assholes wanted before you bargained them down._

"However, none of the Soul Reapers…suggested by Central 46 met with my approval," Byakuya said. "There are…certain attributes that I want for the expedition's leader to possess."

"I'm sure there are," Ichigo muttered, failing to keep any hint of anger hidden.

"Lieutenant Kuchiki," Byakuya said, ignoring Ichigo's comment. "I want you to lead the expedition to Hueco Mundo."

_**Memorial Hill**_

Rukia ran a hand over monument's smooth stone. The stone monolith had long since replaced the Sokyoku, which Ichigo destroyed in order to rescue her in what both seemed like only yesterday and an eternity ago. Even though the younger generations began calling the place Memorial Hill after the monument, Rukia would always remember it as Sokyoku Hill.

She looked up the rows of names engraved in black on the white stone. They were a reminder of those who died in Aizen's conspiracy and in the Winter War. More names were added to the monument since the Winter War ended and most of those were killed in the Second Aizen War. She looked among the names until she found the one she was looking for. She traced the name with her fingers and sighed.

She heard footsteps coming towards her and turned her head to see Byakuya approaching. She also saw that a few trusted Kuchiki Clan guardsmen and Byakuya's Lieutenant were forming a perimeter to ensure privacy for them. He stepped beside her and looked at the name her fingers rested on.

"If he had survived he would have become a Captain," he said.

"He died a death that he would have been proud of," Rukia added. She turned her attention away from the name and looked at her brother. "Will there be more names?" she asked.

"The expedition is necessary. We need to know if the Arrancars pose a threat or not."

"But Nelliel was Ichigo's friend and was permitted to visit him as an ambassador before Central 46 revoked her status. Chad supposedly goes to-and-from Hueco Mundo as much as he wants," Rukia pointed out. "Couldn't we…?"

"They are not sources that we can rely on," Byakuya said. "One of them is a high ranking member of a potential enemy. The other, while your friend, has no allegiance to the Soul Society. He also remains tight-lipped on the state of Hueco Mundo. Besides, his Hollow powers make him suspect in the eyes of too many powerful figures.

"Right now, the only source that the Gotei and Central 46 will accept any data on Hueco Mundo and the Arrancars is from a fellow Soul Reaper and no one else."

Rukia thought about it and knew that her brother was right. She didn't exactly distrust Nel, but as a woman and a Soul Reaper, she did have some doubts about her since she was a powerful, and beautiful, Arrancar woman who had spent a lot of time with Ichigo. She was afraid that something might have happened between the two ambassadors that would be deemed taboo by the two sides.

She trusted Chad. However, he seemed to have conflicting loyalties. Then there was the matter of his unnaturally long life that seemed to be taking away most of his ties to humanity. The man had somehow managed to become an even bigger enigma than ever before. It wasn't fair to expect others to share in her trust of him.

"Many want a war," Byakuya said. Rukia looked at him in surprise. "Most of those who oppose a war simply do it because they don't want a war at the moment. The Hawks, Central 46, and even some of those I view as comrades, want something to go wrong and force my hand.

"Rukia, we need this expedition. We need it to remain unknown to the Arrancars. If the Arrancars are preparing for war, we need to know. That way we can be ready to win once again. If they're keeping their word, then we have to know that as well. I will not have the Soul Society be the one to shatter the peace."

"Then who in their right mind would want me to lead it?" Rukia asked. "This mission is too vital and I…I've never handled anything like this before. And don't bring up my times with Ichigo and the others. Those times don't count since I wasn't exactly acting on behalf of the Soul Society."

Silence fell between them. Byakuya looked at her and then looked away.

"I was the one who requested you to lead it," he said. "However, as Captain Kurosaki said, you have a choice."

Rukia watched as her brother walk away. She saw the weight that he was carrying on his shoulders and now she felt the same weight crushing her. Her brother was a great man, but he was not Yamamoto. Central 46 and even some of the other Captains had become bold in ways that they never would have dared to become while Yamamoto was still in command.

At the moment it seemed that her brother's main adversary was Central 46. They showed that when, after Byakuya was declared Captain-Commander, they formed the group that were officially called the "Protectors" but were known as the "Faceless" behind their backs.

_I'm the only one you feel you can trust,_ she realized.

She turned back to the name and looking at it along with the other names knew what her answer would be. Ichigo would not be happy about it, but rank didn't mean that he was exempt from a few well-deserved kicks to the head. She reached out one more time and traced her fingers over the name immortalized in stone: RENJI ABARAI.

_**Department of Research and Development**_

_**15 Days Before Departure**_

Rukia stood in the Gigai lab trying to keep from shivering from the cold. She wished that this was done in the Squad 4 Barracks. Even though she didn't like hospitals, the Squad 4 Barracks were a place of healing and felt warm. The Squad 12 Barracks, however, felt the opposite. No matter if it was plunged in shadow or invaded by light, Captain Kurotsuchi's domain had a constant coldness to it.

The fact that she was standing naked with two other people in the room, looking at her, wasn't helping either.

"Okay, now just relax," Unohana said.

Her warm voice and soothing presence made it easier for Rukia not to shiver. However, that didn't keep her hands from trying to maintain some modesty. Unohana led her to one of the metal tables and Rukia laid down on the table, trying to ignore the blotches that must be blood stained into the metal.

She tried to make herself comfortable, but found that she couldn't. It wasn't just because the metal felt ice cold against her bare skin. It was also because it was difficult being naked and having Mayuri of all people overseeing her examination. Mayuri wanted to make sure that everything was done right and for him that meant that everything had to be done by his standards. At least he was permitting Unohana to handle the far more invasive moments.

"Captain Unohana," Mayuri said. "You need to make sure to get a proper reading of her Reiatsu levels. I would advise that you start at her feet and work your way up.

"As for you, Lieutenant Kuchiki, you are far too tense. And stop your fidgeting at once. Honestly, how can I get a proper reading if you're just going to agitate your Reiatsu with senseless stress?"

Rukia wanted to scream at the Captain. He didn't know what it felt like to have to lay on a cold metal table with nothing on while having people prod and poke in places you didn't want them to. However, she resisted the urge. She knew that if she started yelling and screaming at him then he could dismiss her from the expedition, despite her brother's orders.

"Just ignore him," Unohana said, smiling at her. "I'll make sure that he doesn't come back until we're done. In the meantime, just think nice and soothing thoughts."

"Humph, if she's worried about some kind of sexual attraction to her on my part, then she shouldn't flatter herself. I am far above being influenced by such bestial impulses."

Unohana turned one of her notorious smiles on her fellow Captain. Mayuri immediately fell silent. Even though Rukia couldn't see him, she thought that he must be quivering with fear. Rukia had yet to meet someone who could withstand one of those smiles and not be afraid. She knew that even the great and fearless Kenpachi Zaraki secretly feared Unohana.

Unohana left the table-side to escort Mayuri out of the lab. Rukia remained lying on the steel table, looking up at the Reiatsu Detector that hung above her like some large spider. She sighed as she tried to make herself comfortable. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on something, anything, other than this place. She could feel herself drifting away. It was as though she was floating from her body. She looked down to see that she was still lying on the table and then there was nothing but darkness. She was close to panicking, but tried to remain calm.

_Fear is the mind killer,_ she thought. _I will not allow it to control me. I will face it and allow it to pass through me. I am not my fear. Fear is the mind killer._

She felt her mind easing. The darkness around her was beginning to face and then she felt something. At first she didn't know what it was and yet she knew it. Her mind reached out to embrace the sensation and then…

_…she felt sunlight on her face. She opened her eyes and saw the light shining through the tree tops. She was in awe at the beauty of the sunlight piercing through the dancing leaves, a kaleidoscope of green and gold. The wind that rustled through the branches was cool and refreshing on her face. She could faintly smell the scents of distant places on the wind's invisible currents._

_ She could feel the cool and damp grass under her feet. She smiled and began to run. She didn't understand why the urge to run came over her. She just felt the desire to run. She laughed with the wind. Her eyes sparkled with the sun's light. Her body moved with the grass. She closed her eyes, putting her trust in her other senses. She felt whole. She felt alive._

_ She continued to run until she came to a cliff. Her body knew the cliff was there and she stopped with only the tips of her toes hanging over the edge. She opened her eyes and was startled at what she saw stretching out before her._

_ "This can't be right," she whispered. "I don't remember anything like this in the Seireitei."_

_ She stared at the endless sea before her. The white sands glittered like silver dust under the crescent moon that hung in the empty sky like a pendant on black silk._

_ Rukia looked behind her and saw the sun and trees and grass just as it had been. However, when she looked ahead, it was nothing but sand and endless night. Then she heard something coming towards her. Fear froze her, but the desire to see, to know, what was coming rose as well. She started to turn, but before she could see what was approaching…_

_ "Rukia," a soft voice said._

_ Rukia felt something touching her. Then whatever touched her seized her and she felt herself falling through emptiness._

_ "NO!" she cried out. "I WANT TO SEE! I WANT TO KNOW!"_

_ But she only continued to fall. She tried to see what had been approaching, but saw nothing but darkness._

_ "Rukia," the soft voice said again. "Rukia, Rukia, Rukia…"_

"Rukia, wake up," Unohana said, stroking Rukia's brow with a finger. "We're done."

Rukia opened her eyes. She looked around and saw that she was in the lab. She looked at Unohana who stood over her. Unohana noticed Rukia's confusion and smiled gently.

"What happened?"

"You fell asleep. I finished the scan and then let you sleep for a few more minutes before waking you. After all, there's still much to do, but a little rest might put you at ease for that."

Rukia didn't know how many more tests she endured the rest of the day. When it was over she was too exhausted to care about that part. She made her way down the corridor that led to the room that was reserved for her. She wished that it was either the Lieutenant's Quarters at her Barracks or her personal chambers at the Kuchiki estate.

She saw that some of the other candidates for the mission were making their way back to their rooms as well. Some stopped and stood at attention, which she returned as best she could. Others, however, only looked at her. Even though they didn't say anything and remained expressionless, Rukia could tell that they were sizing her up and most likely wondering why she was put in charge over them. She could only sense real hostility from a couple of them.

_Most likely sent over by Central 46,_ she thought in disgust.

When she first saw her room about 10 days before, she had been surprised that it wasn't as Spartan as she imagined. However, it was the sort of place she would never feel at home. Hell, Ichigo's closest felt more like home than this place. She smiled at the memory of the weeks she spent with Ichigo, practically living in his closet. She wondered how he was handling the situation and let out a soft chuckle as she remembered him falling out of his chair when she told him.

She sighed as she plopped onto the bed. She was glad that the days of testing were over. Tomorrow, she would be shown her Arrancar Gigai and would try it on. The remaining time would be for training so that way they could adapt to performing tasks and maneuvers and combat in the Gigai. Then, they would be heading off to Hueco Mundo.

She turned on her back and stared at the grey ceiling. She thought about the strange dream she had in the lab.

_Maybe I should have told someone,_ she thought.

But who could she tell? Kurotsuchi would only go on one of his rants about wasting his time with such trivialities. Unohana would offer some kind of reassurance, but then Rukia would feel like a scared little girl. As for the other recruits, forget it. In the end she decided that it was best not to tell anyone.

_Maybe it was just nerves,_ she thought before drifting into a dreamless sleep.

As Rukia slept, Unohana and Mayuri were in one of the labs. They were examining the results from the tests that were conducted over the past ten days.

"It would appear as though you were right," Unohana said as she placed the last file onto the desk.

"Of course I'm right," Mayuri said from the far-side of the room. "As far as we can tell the bits of Spirit Energy that I put into the Gigai is helping them to adjust. Have you noticed that the levels of Spiritual Energy increased slightly as a result?"

Unohana nodded. So far only three of the candidates had shown either a loss of Spiritual Energy or no change at all when a portion of their Spiritual Energy was put into the Gigai. According to Mayuri that indicated that the Gigai would not adjust to them. As a result, those three were dismissed from the Project immediately.

"Then we'll show them their Gigai and see if they work," Unohana said. "That way we can begin the next phase of Operation Izanagi."

"Precisely, and _I_ shall explain the principals to them," Mayuri said and glared at Unohana.

She did not respond. Instead, her eyes looked over the data laid out before her.

_But what if,_ she thought, _what if there's something we're missing?_

_**14 Days Before Departure**_

The next morning Unohana arrived to find Rukia already dressed in the lab robes reserved for test subjects. She gave Rukia a warm smile and beckoned for her to follow. There was nothing to be said. They both knew what was coming. Today, Rukia would be introduced to and inserted into the new Gigai.

They stepped into the lab and saw Mayuri going over her files at a cluttered table. Rukia had hoped that he wouldn't be here, but she should have known better. This was his domain and he loved to be in control. That hope had been futile at best.

She resigned herself to the sociopath's involvement and turned her attention to the Arrancar Gigai. She took a few steps back. Even though she knew it was coming, Rukia could never have been prepared for what she saw.

In the middle of the room was a table. She recognized it as the same one she had been scanned on yesterday by the blotches stained into the metal. Today, an Arrancar-like being that was about her height was strapped down to it. It had milky skin and shoulder-length black hair with a streak of white running along the top right side. Its mask began above the eyes and descended over the nose before ending in a hook like a falcon's beak. Its eyes were closed. It looked dead and yet somehow seemed alive as well. Rukia looked at the Hollow Hole just below the breasts and suppressed a gasp.

"Is this…?"

"Fine craftsmanship, if I do say so myself," Mayuri said, still attending to his files.

"Yes," Unohana said, "this is your Gigai."

"Does it…have a name?"

"7495," Unohana said. "At least, that's what Captain Kurotsuchi labeled it. The Gigai itself is relatively straight-forward. It shares the physical attributes of an Arrancar while resembling you for better integration. However, some differences had to be made in order to better disguise you."

Rukia nodded. She turned and saw Mayuri glaring at them. It was obvious that he wanted to be the one to explain the Gigai to her. He stalked over to them and was about to open his mouth to say something when Unohana looked at him. He closed his mouth and made his way back to the table. It was clear that he was not happy about the way the procedure was unfolding.

"At any rate," Unohana continued. "Each Gigai is specifically designed to accommodate the user's Spiritual Energy. By putting a small portion of a Soul Reaper's Spiritual Energy into the Gigai and allowing it to interact with the Hollow Spiritual Energy that serves as the base ingredient, we could see what kind of effects it would have. If the Gigai rejected the Soul Reaper's Spiritual Energy, then we would cut the applicant from the Program since it meant that their Spiritual levels were not acceptable to handle being an Arrancar. We'll use the results from your tests in order to formulate a rehabilitation program. But so far the Gigai show no signs that it will affect the user's personal identity."

"In other words," Rukia whispered, "I probably won't go native."

"There's nothing to indicate otherwise," Unohana said, nodding. "Would you like to test it out?"

Rukia looked at the Gigai. It was strange seeing an Arrancar like this. She had only seen them as the Enemy, except for Nel and her Fraccion. Either way, they seemed a passionate group. They were dangerous in that the fought with their all. However, Ichigo referred to his nemesis, the Fourth Espada, as being a Nihilist. Thus she couldn't claim any expertise.

However, she would now be operating one. Maybe then she could claim some knowledge on them. She looked at Unohana and smiled with what she hoped was confidence.

"Sure," Rukia said.

"Alright, I'll show you how it works," Unohana said. "Captain Kurotsuchi, please get it ready."

"WHO ARE YOU TO GIVE ME ORDERS?" Mayuri shouted.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, please…get it ready," she said, giving her _other_ smile.

Mayuri snarled as he turned to the control panel. He typed in a command and pressed EXECUTE. The table that the Gigai was on rose and tilted forward until it was completely vertical. Rukia swallowed as she now looked at the Gigai standing in front of her. It reminded her of sculptures from Ancient Greece or Rome that she saw in the World of the Living. Unohana gestured for her to stand in front of it. She did as instructed and heard Unohana removing the restraints.

"Physical contact is required to activate the entry," Unohana said. "Please, disrobe and hold its hand."

Rukia untied the sash the sash that held her robe in place and allowed it to drop to the floor. She allowed herself a small grin when she saw Mayuri turn his head away grumbling about something under his breath. She turned her attention back to the Gigai. She reached out with her right hand and touched its own hand. She entwined her own warm fingers around its cold fingers.

Then something began to happen. She felt something cold and slimy crawl around her hand. The sensation sent a shiver down her spine. She looked down and saw that the Gigai was beginning to mold itself around her. Its hand overlapped her hand. It was strange seeing two wrists attached to the same hand.

Her eyes widened as the Gigai took a small step forward. The slimy substance from the Gigai moved up her arm.

"What's…happening?" Rukia moaned.

"There's nothing to worry about," Unohana said. "It just means that the Gigai recognizes your Spiritual Energy and is being drawn towards you. It will become your new skin and you will be the core. It's the same thing as with any other Gigai."

Rukia nodded, but she still shivered as the pale arm overlapped her own.

_I must not fear,_ she thought. _Fear is the mind killer. I must face it and let it pass through me. My fear will only destroy me if I allow it. I must fight my fear._

"KEEP STILL!" Mayuri roared. "Any discomfort you feel will pass when the insertion process is complete.

Rukia almost yelled back at him. However, she positioned herself to where she could better line up with the Gigai. She focused on Unohana as she felt the Gigai step into her.

_No,_ she thought,_ it's stepping over me._

Her vision went black. For a long, weightless moment she was left in a state of confusion. She couldn't remember how to breathe and felt herself suffocating. Panic rose inside her. She was blind. She couldn't breathe. She didn't know what to do. Then, instinct took control. She took frantic breathes of air and felt herself lying on the cold tile floor of the lab. She remembered that the Gigai's eyes had been closed and so she focused on the muscles around the eyelids. She could only open them a crack, but the lights were too bright and so she shut her eyes again.

_You need to get used to light again,_ she thought. _You were reborn. You need to get used to this. Now, open them bit-by-bit._

She opened her eyes again, focusing on the floor. Even though it was still bright, it wasn't as bad as it had been before. She opened her eyes and blinked. She pushed herself up on her new arms. Unohana reached out to try to help her up. Rukia shook her head. She had to do this by herself. She had to get used to this new body by any means necessary. She found that once she got started it got easier. She got to her feet and fell when her legs gave out from under her.

_I…I didn't feel that,_ she thought. _Is that because of the Hierro?_

She got up again and this time was able to stand upright.

"How do you feel?" Unohana asked.

"I feel…" Rukia began and then paused. She didn't know how to describe how she felt. So, she said the first word that came to her mind. "…warm."

"That's because of the Hierro," Mayuri said. "It traps heat more efficiently. It's a reasonable adaptation to Hueco Mundo's endless nights."

He stood up from the table and began to pace around her. She could feel him inspecting her. Even though she was sure that certain perverted thoughts were the farthest things from the Captain's mind, she was still a woman. She could feel Mayuri frowning at her as she moved to cover herself with her hands.

_Of course,_ she thought as she felt the small breasts, _I wasn't even given better assets. It's not fair with people like Orihime and Rangiku running around and I still don't get average-sized breasts._

She realized how absurd the thought was. She was in an Arrancar Gigai, getting ready to go back to Hueco Mundo, and her first worry was the size of her breasts. The very thought made her mouth twist into a smile. She could feel the laughter building up inside her. She raised her hand to her mouth to try to suppress it, but as she did so her fingers brushed against the Hollow Hole.

She frowned at the touch. She didn't realize that she now had both Captains' attention. Instead, she was focused on trying to look at the gaping hole below her modest-sized bust. She inspected the area around it with the tips of her fingers. She swallowed as she allowed her fingers to enter the empty space. She didn't feel any pain, but it still felt wrong. She was used to flesh and bone being in that area, but there was nothing. She tapped the area around the hole. Unbelievable pain shot through her body and she moved her hand away. She held her hand gingerly in an effort to hide it.

"Does it hurt?" Mayuri asked. There was no concern in his voice.

"Yes," Rukia answered bitterly.

Mayuri frowned at his inquiry being met with such hostility. Unohana, however, stepped towards Rukia and gently removed her hand from over the Hollow Hole. If she found the pseudo-Arrancar flesh unnerving she gave no sign.

"That's to be expected," she said gently. "Now, let's get you dressed. It's perfectly natural to be on edge, even if it's not your body on display."

Rukia nodded. As the Captain turned her back, Rukia began to feel the mask fragment. She had expected some sensation, but she could only feel its hard surface through her fingertips. She supposed that it was nerveless like a strange skull protrusion.

"I anticipated something like this," Mayuri said.

He opened one of the lab's closet doors and pulled out a set of white clothes.

"Couldn't I…?"

"NO!" Mayuri shouted as he dumped the bundle into her arms. "The sooner you've become accustomed to your new body, the better your cover will be. It's quite likely that the uniform has changed over there so something plain seemed to be the best option."

Mayuri turned to leave the lab. Unohana sighed. Even though Mayuri had a valid point, he was always and completely unnecessarily rude when making it.

As Rukia changed, Unohana made notes in Rukia's file on how the new Gigai was working out. The notes in the file would let her know what kind of rehabilitation program she should be put on so that way she could use her new Gigai to its fullest potential. She knew that it would be tough at first, but she would be there to help Rukia get through it.

Rukia finished tying the sash to secure her new somewhat baggy trousers. The top was long-sleeved and fairly normal, except for the missing section that stretched from her navel to below her chest that left the Hollow Hole exposed. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that part.

She sighed as she walked to a mirror hanging in the closet door that Mayuri left open. She braced herself before lifting her eyes to see what she now looked like.

What she saw, looking back, startled her.

She thought that she shouldn't have been startled. It was the logical thing to expect, but still…

The figure in the mirror looked very much like her. It had the same height and build. Her hair was a bit different. It was limper than her normal hair and had that white streak. Still, in a way it was what she would have expected from a Gigai.

Despite the regular appearance, the hole and the mask fragment were completely foreign. The mere sight of them bothered her. All of the times she had used any Gigai before, they had never been a true disguise for her. But then again, she did use a Gigai to impersonate a living human. But that was in the past and this was now.

Even though the hole and mask fragment bothered her, they weren't the things that truly frightened her. The thing that truly frightened her was the eyes. Somehow things didn't seem to be lining up as they should have. She felt as though the rest of her body was nothing more than a suit that she put on. It didn't feel real to her.

_My skin is not my own,_ she thought. _But the eyes are my own and no one else's._

"Are you ready?" Unohana asked. Rukia was startled out of her thought and turned to face Unohana who was standing by the door.

"Oh…uh…yes Captain Unohana," Rukia said and sighed.

Unohana nodded and opened the door. Mayuri walked in almost immediately. Rukia had a good idea that he had been standing directly behind the door to be let back in. He grinned.

"I trust that the clothes fit you. Oh what am I saying? Of course they fit you. I took the measurements myself. I must say that I'm quite pleased. The overall look is very…Arrancar," he purred.

"They…fit," Rukia said. "But I…but I don't like this," she said and gestured to the hole. "I don't like the idea of…of showing it off like this."

"I don't really care what you like," Mayuri sneered. "If you wish to find some other garments to wear so that way you can cover it, then be my guest. Of course, your little discomfort over something so trivial as a hole in your chest could very well lead to failure."

Mayuri shook his head. Unohana frowned and looked at Rukia. She could see the Lieutenant trying to stay strong, but failing. Mayuri's words had cut deep, but it wasn't all that was bothering her. Unohana could tell that the overall experience was taking its toll.

"If I recall," Unohana said, hoping that she could provide some comfort to Rukia. "Not all of the Espada displayed their Hollow Holes. For all we know concealing the Hollow Hole could be just as normal as displaying it among the Arrancars. Then there's the matter of her Zanpakuto."

"Yes, yes," Mayuri said, waving his hand in dismissal. "That will be ready soon."

"You mean Sode no Shirayuki?" Rukia asked. Her voice betrayed the concern that she felt.

"OF COURSE NOT!" Mayuri roared. "Soul Reaper and Arrancar Zanpakuto operate on very different principals. A Soul Reaper's Zanpakuto houses a spirit _coexisting_ with the Soul Reaper. An Arrancar's Zanpakuto, on the other hand, are physical manifestations of their power in a _sealed_ state. Surely even someone with such a low level of intelligence, like you, would understand that if a Soul Reaper carried their Zanpakuto with them on this mission would entirely defeat the Gigai's main purpose.

"You will be issued modified training blades. You will infuse them with finite amounts of your Reiatsu to be stored in the blade. Sadly, even after extensive study, I'm unable to offer anything more than vague theories on replicating the Arrancar's Resurrección ability. However, this will be sufficient to fool casual inspection."

"What if we find ourselves in a situation where we have to use Shikai?" Rukia asked before she could stop herself.

"Then you're expected to die before blowing your cover," Mayuri said, grinning.

"You really shouldn't find yourselves in such a situation," Unohana said. "Your task is merely to infiltrate and observe. You are not to fight opponents that require you to use your Soul Reaper abilities like Shikai and Kido. We are taking every precaution to make sure you will be able to do just that."

Rukia was not comforted by Unohana's words. She felt that the Soul Society could only think of so many things that could go wrong and yet still miss something.

This was new ground. In all of the Soul Society's History they never tried anything like this. That scale of time was frightening for Rukia despite living for centuries. The Captains' boasts and reassurances did not change the fact that this was new territory. She couldn't help but think that very few trailblazers met with kind fates.

She knew that it would either end in success or failure. There was no middle ground.

Her brother's future as Captain-Commander was dependent on the outcome. She knew that it was vital that Byakuya, and not someone who Central 46 could manipulate, to be Captain-Commander. The Captain-Commander would determine if war came and if it came, how it would be fought.

"At any rate," Unohana continued. "I'm sure that there will be nothing to worry about. Your brother wouldn't have asked you to lead this expedition if he thought that you couldn't handle it."

Rukia looked down at her Arrancar body and brushed the area around the Hollow Hole with her fingers. She looked into the mirror again. Her focus went to that spot in her chest. She didn't mind the mask so much. But that empty void…

_I hate it,_ she thought. _I don't want anyone to see something like this._

When she got the chance she would look through the Arrancar uniforms and find one that didn't show off that hole. If she couldn't find a uniform like that then she would wrap bandages around her chest to cover it up.

One way or another, she would not bare something so unnerving to the world.

_**Memorial Hill**_

_**Day of Departure**_

Rukia stood off to the side of where the 12th Division had set up their Garganta Generator. The Department of Research and Development already tested it to select a seemingly deserted site in Hueco Mundo for arrival.

After days spent developing and training her Gigai's reflexes, movements, and strength in the Training Rooms under simulated Hueco Mundo conditions the sun was a bit harsh on her. For a moment she remembered the monster that wore Kaien's face and how he hated the false sun that Aizen gifted to his followers. A chill ran down her spine at the memory of his trident skewering her body as though it was nothing more than a chunk of meat.

_No,_ she thought. _I can't think of that right now. I have to focus on the mission. I can't let Nee-Sama down._

She saw that Mayuri was looming over a small, mouse-like man who had a rodent-like mask fragment. She knew that the mouse-like man was part of the Squad 12 team on the mission and was in charge of their equipment and studying the Arrancars. Her heart went out to the poor man when she saw that Mayuri was on the verge of having a screaming fit as he grilled him.

She looked over to where the Squad 11 members were seemingly getting a pep talk from Kenpachi. She couldn't be sure, but she thought that the main point was that they don't start the party without him and that he would be disappointed if they all came back alive and intact. She wasn't sure which disturbed her more: Kenpachi's speech or the members of Squad 11 lapping it up.

"That's the kind of attitude that will let them pass more easily as monsters," Byakuya said from behind her.

Rukia squeaked in surprise and blushed. She really hated it when she showed any kind of surprise. She was a Lieutenant for Chappy's sake. She composed herself together and turned to Byakuya.

"Captain-Commander," she said, bowing. "I am deeply honored that you gave me command of this vital mission. I will not fail you."

She straightened and did not notice her hand drifting to cover the already concealed Hollow Hole. Byakuya already knew about her feelings towards the Hollow Hole. He had reviewed the Gigai in advance and had read Unohana's reports.

He knew that it was a cruel thing to ask of her. Rukia had a rough time during the Winter War. She had almost been killed by one Espada and she lost one of her best friends to another. He knew that she would never really forget. But he knew that she was ready. If he needed any evidence of that, here it was.

"Rukia, you're a true Kuchiki," he said.

Rukia was startled at that. She looked at her brother, but saw that is attention was now on Mayuri who looked as though he was about to strangle the poor technician. He shook his head as he walked towards him in order to prevent the cruel Captain from killing his subordinate.

She smiled at his back. Any thoughts about the Hollow Hole had been forgotten. She felt proud that she was now doing something that was worthy of the Kuchiki name. She felt as though nothing could frighten her anymore.

Then she jumped as a calloused hand clapped her on the shoulder. Fear was replaced with rage and she turned to face whoever had the nerve to surprise.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK…?" she shouted before she realized who she was face-to-chest with.

"Hey Rukia," Ichigo said. "Uh…do you need to lie down? You don't look so good," he said, smiling.

"DON'T BE RUDE!" Kiyone shouted.

Ichigo sighed dramatically at his Lieutenant. He balled a hand into a fist and hit her lightly on the head.

"What did I do to deserve an afterlife full of high-strung midgets?" he asked the heavens.

Rukia did her best to stifle the laugh that threatened to come out. Ichigo could be a bit rude with his comments, but she had to admit that he tended to say some of the funniest things. It was one of the things she liked about him. It was also one of the things that annoyed her.

She sighed as she looked at her Zanpakuto, Sode no Shirayuki. She knew that the others had already surrendered their Zanpakuto for the specially modified training swords. However, she did not trust anyone from Squad 12 to take care of her Zanpakuto. She wanted it to remain with someone she could trust and there were only two people in the Soul Society she would entrust it to.

A pulse of high level Spiritual Pressure cut off all conversation. Everyone's attention turned towards the center of the open area. The Captain-Commander was standing in front of the Garganta Generator, behind him, the monument rose into the heavens. As usual, he did not need elevation to command attention, even from among the crowd that had gathered.

She could feel Ichigo become tense. She saw that his knees were shaking slightly and she could tell that he was trying to fight the aversion to a sudden increase in Spiritual Pressure that he gained after what became known as 'The Second Aizen War'. Fortunately, Rukia knew a method or two that would help him to relax. She touched the back of his hand with her own and Ichigo seemed to relax a little.

Kiyone noticed. She gave her friend a wink and a thumb's up. Rukia turned her face away from Kiyone. She knew that she shouldn't be embarrassed, but still… It was a pity that she would have to wait three years to hear Ichigo's answer to the question she posed to him only the night before as they lay naked in each other's arms. But such was the duty that came with being a Soul Reaper.

It would only later occur to Rukia that Ichigo did not react differently to her touch. The only other person who didn't have a change of reaction to her Gigai's skin was Unohana. He didn't seem to notice that her hand was more like that of an Arrancar. He merely looked annoyed and impatient, as usual, as her brother addressed those assembled.

"You are about to embark on a mission of the greatest importance to the Soul Society. As you know, 200 years ago, the Traitor, Souske Aizen, waged war against the Soul Society and was defeated in the Winter War. Before he openly rebelled against the Soul Society and its laws he acquired the Hogyoku and used it create the Arrancars to serve as his personal army against his former comrades.

"The remnants of his army returned to Hueco Mundo and forged the Gobi Treaty with the Soul Society and have not troubled the World of the Living since. However, Central 46 is…concerned with the lack of contact with Hueco Mundo except through dubious and infrequent diplomatic contact. They fear that this could indicate that the Arrancars are building up their armies again. Your duty will be to gather information on the situation on Hueco Mundo to determine if these fears are warranted.

"Remember, this is an intelligence-gathering mission only. The members of Squad 11 will not engage in combat unless it is absolutely necessary. You are to determine if war is coming; not start one."

No one was really surprised to hear grumblings coming from the members of Squad 11 at that announcement. Byakuya released another burst of Spiritual Energy to get their attention again. The members of the Expedition returned their full attention to the Captain-Commander and he continued.

"Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki has been given the command of the mission. As Captain-Commander, I have given her absolute authority to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the mission is a success. That includes the immediate execution of any and all expedition personnel who either puts the mission or the lives of their comrades in danger. Make no mistake. This mission cannot afford to fail.

"The mission will last for three years. There will be no communication or returning to the Soul Society except in the event of failure or if Lieutenant Kuchiki has confirmed that the threat of war is imminent.

"During those three years, it is the Research Team's duty to gather as much information on the Arrancars as they can. This includes, but not limited to, their numbers and how they organize themselves as well as any and all data that could be useful to the Gotei 13. The information must be thorough.

"You will be given time to say your 'Goodbyes' before the Garganta is opened. However, when the Garganta is opened, you must be ready to depart.

"Remember, you are members of the Gotei 13. It does not matter what your squad is or what your background is. You are the pride of the Soul Society. I expect each of you to behave as such. Good luck and may you be equal to the burden we have set you. YOU ARE SOUL REAPERS!" Byakuya declared.

Byakuya walked away from the generator. Rukia felt sorrow that he was not looking for her, but she understood. His role right now was as the Captain-Commander of the Gotei; not her brother. She could tell that he was tense and that he would rather not send the expedition in the first place.

However, the new Central 46 was bolder in their demands to the Gotei than the one that Aizen wiped out. The fates of their predecessors and the way that Yamamoto forced their hand with his wartime powers made the higher-ups uneasy in ways not seen in ages. She remembered how even Yamamoto had a difficult time with the new conservatives. When Byakuya took his place as Captain-Commander, Central 46 began to believe that they could control him. But he proved them wrong and so they decided to insult the entire Gotei.

_That's why they're letting the Faceless run around,_ Rukia scowled as she saw the small cluster of Central 46 Representatives surrounded by their so-called "Guardians."

She thought that her brother had done well with standing up against their demands for a full-scale assault against Hueco Mundo. Even she wasn't sure about how he felt about the Arrancars, but he made no secret about how he felt that provoking war dishonorable and he stood firm in his resolve. Now, Central 46 said that they would be satisfied, at least for the time being, with this expedition.

"Rukia," Ichigo whispered.

"Captain Kurosaki," Rukia said as she gave a playful salute.

"You know you don't have to do that. Look, I want to say…uh…I just want to wish you Good Luck."

Rukia saw that his attention was drawn to the other members of the expedition.

_No,_ she thought, _it's my expedition._

She saw that the Squad 11 members were standing by the generator. She could tell that they were eager to get going. If they had any "Goodbyes" to say, they were already said. The rat-like Squad 12 member was huddled over the Portable Garganta Generator that they would take with them. It was obvious that he was checking to make sure that everything was in working order and nothing was missing. The other members of the Research Team were huddled in their corner. Rukia could tell that they were making sure that essential supplies such as food and water would last for the duration of the mission. Rukia had to admit that it was an odd bunch to place your hopes in and then she looked over to the group of Central 46 Representatives and frowned.

She saw one of her expedition members was talking with an all-too familiar Representative. She watched as the man with the gold-headed cane and the small pointed chin-beard whispered something to the member and then he noticed that Rukia was watching. His eyes darkened and he whispered something to the Soul Reaper who only nodded.

_Shit, so at least one of my team is in Central 46's pocket,_ she thought. _I'll have to keep an eye on that one._

She sighed as she looked at Sode no Shirayuki. She began to wonder if she should tell someone, but decided not to. There was no going back.

"Ichigo," she said and turned to him. "I want you to have this," she said and held out her Zanpakuto to him.

"W-wait a minute," Ichigo said sounding as if he was on the verge of panic. "Won't you need your Zanpakuto?"

_Great, he's sounding just like his father,_ Rukia thought. The image of the young Captain imitating his father's escapades almost made her laugh out loud. But time was short and he looked worried.

"It's fine. I'll be using one of the modified Zanpakuto instead. I already have it charged up just in case," she said, trying to brush off his concern.

"But, this is a part of you. You and Sode no Shirayuki have a bond," Ichigo said.

He held out the sword back out to her. She thought about telling him that she wasn't allowed to take her Zanpakuto because it would broadcast her as a Soul Reaper. However, she wouldn't put it past Ichigo to try to argue the matter with Nee-Sama, even now.

"I know," she said. "It's just my way of saying that I'll come back. I want you to take care of it for me."

It was the truth, just not the whole truth. She had to make sure that Ichigo was re-assured so that way he and her brother wouldn't get into an argument.

_Oh the things I have to do to preserve the peace with the freaks I keep company with,_ Rukia thought.

Ichigo didn't know what to say. He looked down at Rukia's sword. He remembered how she used it to awaken his inner Soul Reaper abilities more than two centuries ago. The night that a "burglar" came into his room through the wall, talking to herself, and who set his life on a path that he could never have imagined. He didn't know how to respond and so he only looked at her and smiled.

"Yeah…well…just take care of yourself, Pigeon," he said.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" Rukia practically shrieked in his face.

_Great, just great,_ she thought. _Here we are, having a wonderful moment, and he just throws a brick through it! Captain or no Captain, before I leave I'm gonna…_

"I called you 'Pigeon,' because of the…you know…the…uh…"

He shrugged and gestured to the area to his face where her mask remnant was. He reached out and poked the hard bone lightly. The contact seemed to turn off her berserk mode and she went still. Rukia looked at him in surprise and began to chuckle. He and Byakuya were the only ones who could defuse her so easily.

"Well, at least you didn't call me 'Midget,'" she said, smiling as he withdrew his hand.

"Alright, we're ready," the rat-faced man said.

"Well, I better get going. It's Go Time," she said and winked.

"I know," Ichigo said and looked down.

"In case I don't get another chance," Rukia said and kissed Ichigo on the cheek before taking a step back.

"I'LL BE WATING!" he called out as the Garganta opened with a massive ripping sound.

"I KNOW!" Rukia called back as she joined the rest of her team.

Ichigo watched as the Garganta opened before them. The team made their way forward with Rukia bringing up the rear. The team members ahead of her stepped through the Garganta and seemed to vanish into the darkness. Before she stepped through, Rukia turned around and smiled at Ichigo. He thought that she was a brilliant angel standing before the dark void of the Abyss.

"BEFORE I FORGET!" she yelled. "MY ANSWER'S 'YES'!"

Ichigo looked at her in surprise. She smiled at him before turning away and stepped into the Void.

Ichigo watched as she vanished from sight and smiled. He watched as the Garganta closed and the sky became whole once again.

Byakuya approached him serenely. However, his face had a rare intensity that made Ichigo wander what he did this time.

"What did she meant by that, Ichigo Kurosaki?" he asked.

Even though his voice was as Stoic as ever, there was a menace around the edges. Byakuya the Big Brother could be far scarier to Ichigo than Byakuya the Boss.

"I'm sorry, Captain-Commander, but that's private," he said, rallying his courage under the glare.

"I see that you're still as insolent as ever."

"You know me. I was never one who liked being told what to do. My time at school and in the military is nothing but a laundry list of offenses. If you need to, blame my crazy goat of a Dad," he said and shrugged.

"I don't understand what she sees in you. Even after all this time it confuses me as much as it makes sense. But I can't keep an eye on her all of the time, and despite what the Elders want, it is still her choice."

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Ichigo said, missing the point that Byakuya was trying make. "She's a Kuchiki, right?"

_**Four Years Later…**_

…the expedition to Hueco Mundo had still not returned.

**End of Prologue**

**A.N.: This is the first time that I've written something with another writer. I would like to thank Eduard Kassel for sharing his vision with me and bringing me on board to help bring it to life. I hope that I did it justice.**

**Character death does not equal character bashing. They are a result of the realistic fact that people on both sides die in wars.**

**It should be noted that many characters will not fall into clear-cut "good and evil" allegiances and actions as a result of the AU situation. Like in the real world, all sides can be right and wrong because no side is absolutely right or absolutely wrong.**

**Also, not everything will be explained in the story's early parts, but details will be revealed as the story unfolds.**

**The theme song for this story are: "Into Dust" by Mazzy Star "Cities In Dust" by The EverLove.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	2. Chapter 1: Second Chances

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 1: Second Chances**

_Damn it, I knew that I should have called this sooner,_ Byakuya thought as he tried to maintain the neutral expression on his face.

It had been about a year since the expedition to Hueco Mundo missed their scheduled return date. He had continually delayed this meeting because he didn't want to admit what had been suspected for months: the expedition had met with some kind of disaster.

He looked at the other Captains and saw that they had lost their composure to varying degrees. Even Captain Unohana's usually tranquil face had darkened. He looked at Zaraki and was not surprised to see that he was grinning like a devil.

_He's hoping that we'll be crossing swords with the Arrancars soon,_ Byakuya thought. The thing that frightened him the most was that Kenpachi could very well get his wish.

He looked to Ichigo and was not surprised to see that he looked as though he would attack the first viable target that appeared before him. However, he was here and not running around Hueco Mundo. Byakuya was somewhat impressed with this display of partial restraint.

_He's matured…but not by much,_ Byakuya thought.

However, some of the other Captains were starting to argue with each other. Some of them were getting too heated. Byakuya knew that he must not allow the Captains to get too out-of-hand. He increased his Reiatsu levels.

"ENOUGH!" he roared, releasing his Reishi at its highest level.

Unlike Yamamoto, he could not send lesser Captains to their knees. However, he could get their attention. They immediately became silent. He looked at each of the other Captains and saw that he had their attention, at least for the moment.

"I have called this meeting to discuss a matter of the upmost importance. It is clear that something has gone wrong with the expedition that was sent to Hueco Mundo. Now, we need to decide on a course of action," Byakuya said.

"We should have done something when they missed the return date in the first place," Ichigo snarled.

Some of the younger Captains muttered in agreement. However, their reasons differed from Ichigo's and each other's. Byakuya sent out a brief burst of Spiritual Energy to get their attention. Captain Kyoraku sighed and tipped his straw hat enough to reveal his eyes, one was now completely blind.

"Easy now," Kyoraku said. "There's no need to get hasty."

"Indeed," Byakuya said. "Plans rarely go the way they are supposed to. There were too many unknown variables in the mission, especially the situation in Hueco Mundo. It was understood that delays could occur to prevent the expedition from opening the artificial Garganta to return in secret," Byakuya said, his voice even.

"Be that as it may sir. The loss of the expedition makes our course clear."

Byakuya turned to Captain Nakamura. The crimson hawk on his Captain's haori made it very clear what Nakamura would suggest. If he was before the Nobles and Central 46, they would want the same thing.

"Does it, Captain Nakamura?" Byakuya asked. "It would seem to me that we are still in the dark."

"It's clear that our expedition was discovered and wiped out," Nakamura said. "Your own sister…IT'S AS GOOD AS A DECLARATION OF WAR!" he roared.

Ichigo turned his attention on Nakamura. The man looked at Ichigo and was about to say something, but then saw the killing-intent in the young Captain's eyes. He did not say anything, but continued to glare at Ichigo.

"This is ridiculous," Captain Saijin of Squad 13 said. "Declarations, by definition, are clear. This has not gotten to that point yet. We have no evidence that they are even dead. It's more likely that they're stranded."

Byakuya could tell that the young Captain was trying to not only keep a lid on the war that the Hawks wanted, but he was also trying to stop Kurosaki from assaulting a comrade.

"Of course it's clear," one of the younger Captains said.

Byakuya glared at the young man who was now Captain of Squad 6. He could not understand how someone who could not take proper care of Hell Butterflies could possibly become a Captain.

"What are you saying?" Saijin asked. "We need evidence. Otherwise we'll wage a costly and impractical war that could turn against us."

"Any course other than war is Treason. Did the great Renji Abarai sit back when the Soul Society was under threat? He did not. Instead, he charged forward and defied the Traitor, Aizen, even as he was tortured to death."

Byakuya suppressed the rage he felt. This pompous idiot was responsible for the glorified version of his former Lieutenant's death. He witnessed it and none of the things that the so-called "Zabimaru Squads" said occurred even happened. However, if you tried to tell Rikichi that, he would dismiss you or even call you a "Lying liberal traitor." Although for Rikichi and people like him, those three things essentially meant the exact same thing.

"Captain Rikichi," Byakuya said. "Do not mistake this Assembly for one of your…campaigns."

"Forgive me, Captain-Commander," Captain Rikichi said, bowing.

"At any rate," Saijin said. "The Truth is that we are still in the dark. For all we know there could have been a mechanical malfunction."

"Are you suggesting that the Generator I sent with Ando was inoperable?" Mayuri demanded.

"Captain Kurotsuchi," Unohana said. "No one is questioning your overall ability as a scientist. However, mistakes can be made when facing unknown territory. The creation of the Arrancar Gigai and the Garganta Generator and sending a long-term expeditionary force, using such equipment, into Hueco Mundo fall under that category."

"Captain Unohana is correct," Byakuya said. "Everything about this assignment was new territory. When we recover the information that the team gathered and uncover information about what has befallen them, then you can use that data to make further improvements on the inventions that you made. After all, trial-and-error is a part of experimentation and experimentation is one of the pillars of Science is it not?"

Mayuri thought about it. It was obvious that he was trying to find a reasonable objection to the notion, but what Unohana and Byakuya said made sense. Mayuri sighed and nodded his head in a reluctant acceptance.

"I admit that I'm not perfect," Mayuri said. "But of course perfection is something that we scientists must not want. We strive to be better than those who came before us and information is the key to accomplish that. However, if we do send out another expedition, then Nemu shall go as well. That way we can be sure that there is no user-error on anyone's part and the equipment is kept safe and functional. If she dies…" he shrugged. "I'll just make a new and improved Nemu."

No one was surprised with that last line. After all, it was general knowledge that Mayuri put explosives in his subordinates and would often times detonate one at random to make sure the explosives were still operational.

"Sir," Ichigo said, almost loud enough to be considered a shout. "I request permission to go on the retrieval mission as well."

"Permission denied," Byakuya answered without a moment's hesitation.

"But sir…"

"I said that your request is denied, Captain. My word is final on this matter. I need all of the Captains here to help build up our forces in case war is waged against us. Captains and Advisors of the Gotei," Byakuya said every bit the Captain-Commander, "I need you to vote on this matter here and now.

"As you are aware, the first expedition has missed their return date by approximately one year. We must now face the fact that some disaster has befallen them. I suggest that we send a second expedition to find out what fate has befallen them, retrieve all valuable information and bring any survivors back to the Seireitei. This has been endorsed by several of you including," he said and looked at Ichigo in particular.

"This is a farce," Rikichi muttered under his breath. "The only second expedition needed to be sent out is a raiding party to wipe out all traces of the Arrancar filth."

"Keep quiet," Nakamura grumbled.

"All of those who support the notion," Byakuya continued, "please raise your hands."

There was a moment of silence. Then, Ichigo, Kyoraku, and Komamura and, surprisingly, Sui-Feng raised their hands. After another moment's hesitation, Mayuri raised his hand as well. Toshiro sighed and raised his own hand along with Unohana. Saijin bit his lip as though weighing the pros-and-cons of such a measure and then raised his own hand. Ichigo saw that the other "Hawk" Captains were looking at each other and at Sui-Feng. Sui-Feng looked at them and her eyes narrowed. Nakamura nodded and raised his hand with the others following close behind with Kenpachi's being the last.

"The vote is unanimous," Byakuya said. "Now we must discuss how this is to be done. We shall begin with who is to be in command of this operation."

"Sir, if I may," Sui-Feng said. Her voice was slightly muffled by the veil she wore over her lower face. "I already have someone in mind for that position. They are already outside and waiting for permission to enter so that she may be reviewed by yourself and the Assembly."

"I see," Byakuya said. "Very well, send them in."

_So that explains why the Hawk bastards went along with it,_ Ichigo thought. _That would also explain why Sui-Feng was so eager to vote in favor. Damn it, Sui-Feng, what are you up to? You're becoming as bad as Yoruichi and Kisuke._

The double doors at the far end of the room opened. The other Captains looked on in interest as Sui-Feng's recommendation entered. The person had their head bent out of respect for the assembled Captains. Ichigo's eyes widened as he recognized the Lieutenant's badge tied around the arm as well as the tag hanging from around their neck. The tag showed Squad 2's Pasque Flower in the center of the Onmitsukido's emblem. However, the thing that really threatened to cause Ichigo's eyes to pop out of his head was the familiar mop of hair.

"Tch…I should have known," Rikichi sneered.

"You have permission to speak, Lieutenant," Byakuya said as the Lieutenant stopped at the appropriate spot.

"Sir, I understand that you are looking for someone to command the expedition to find out what has occurred to the Operation Izanagi expedition. I will gladly accept the responsibility should it fall on my shoulders, Sir," the person announced in a crisp and formal manner.

"Please, state your name," Byakuya said.

All of those assembled knew who Squad 2's Lieutenant was. However, ceremony had to be observed.

"I am Lieutenant Tatsuki Arisawa of Squad 2 and Commander of the Patrol Corps, Sir," Tatsuki said as she raised her head to face the Assembly.

_**Squad 2 Barracks, Lieutenant's Office**_

Tatsuki sighed and picked up the next file that lay on her desk. She frowned as she looked at it.

She knew that Ikkaku Madarame wanted to come on the mission, but Central 46 was opposed to the idea and had continuously rejected his nomination. They were afraid that he might go back to his bad habit of rushing into a fight and thus put the mission in jeopardy. However, that didn't make sense to her. She was sure that Central 46 wanted the mission to end in an incident that could provoke a war.

_Maybe,_ she thought. _Maybe they merely want to deny an officer whom they know is immune to their influence a chance at redeeming himself. They don't really care about us. They only care about their so-called "mandate from the King."_

She had heard about what Ikkaku had been like in the old days. She vaguely recalled seeing him once.

_That's right,_ she thought. _He was mooching off of Keigo and his sister with that guy with the weird eyebrows. I remember thinking that they were probably gay or at least his friend was._

She didn't think that she would have wanted that one on the mission. He would have probably spent too much time whining about how the Arrancar Gigai wasn't beautiful enough to suit him. She would have said the same thing about Ikkaku. She didn't want someone who would rush into a fight without thinking things through first.

But the Winter War had changed him. The cost of his disobedience had been high and it nearly destroyed him.

_A beast that has been burned once will be more cautious and respectful of the peril it faces,_ she thought. _Ikkaku respects me…maybe not on the same level as Kenpachi, but enough to obey a direct order from me. I can work with him._

It was already decided that Nemu Kurotsuchi would come along as well. However, Tatsuki wasn't quite sure about her, but with Captain Kurotsuchi threatening to only tell Nemu how to operate the equipment, and meaning it, she didn't have much of a choice. Once she told him that Nemu would be approved, he was satisfied and began working on the new equipment for them. As soon as she had the rest of her team lined up, they would proceed with the tests and creating the Arrancar Gigai.

It wasn't that she disliked Nemu. The older Lieutenant had a record that was only blemished by the nature of her quasi-legal existence and her working with her "father." But while the others in the Women's Society overlooked many things, she and her Captain viewed that even Nemu being a die-hard loyalist to her extremely abusive tormentor an ominous sign.

Unfortunately, there would be no negotiation. Mayuri wanted her on board and no valid objection would persuade the insane Captain otherwise.

Tatsuki knew that she didn't want a large group to come with her. Her experiences in the Patrol Corps taught her that a smaller group had better chances of success than a larger force as long as they were well-prepared. She already knew that Nemu was going to come along, but two wouldn't be enough for this.

She hoped that Ikkaku would be permitted to join the expedition. However, the chances of that happening were very slim. Life, and afterlife for that matter, taught her that you hoped for the best and planned for what was actually going to happen.

As a result, she was here. Looking through the large pile of files to find members to fill the last two spots she had planned as well as back-ups in case either of her first picks proved to be inadequate in the tests. She was about to give up for the day when she heard a knock at her office door.

"Come in," she said as she tossed aside another file over to the Reject Pile.

"So, you're still at it," Ichigo said, smiling at the files that crowded her desk.

"Oh…it's just you," she said, not really interested.

"You do realize that I'm a Captain, right?"

Ichigo sat in the plain chair that occupied the small space between her desk and the door.

"Yeah, yeah," Tatsuki said, waving off the rank difference. "And I could probably still beat you in Kendo like I did when we were kids, _Mr. Captain_."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Ichigo said and gave a small chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Tatsuki asked. Her eyes narrowed slightly and a small frown formed on her face.

"I just still can't believe that you ended up in Squad 2," Ichigo said, still smiling. "I would have pegged you for Squad 11 easily."

Tatsuki glared at him. Ichigo, seeing her face, raised his hands in mock defense.

_He has some nerve to suggest that I belong with that bunch of brutes,_ she thought. _Well, two can play it that way._

"Is that so?" she asked. "It's funny, but…I would have thought you were more suited for Squad 4. I mean you were always so good at cleaning up other people's messes and getting in the way, _Strawberry_," she said, smiling a bit.

"HEY!" Ichigo cried out.

"Fair trade for that previous remark," Tatsuki said, leaning back a little and folding her arms across her chest. "But I would be careful if I were you. You seem to be channeling your old goat of a Dad a bit," she said and picked up another file.

"Oh…and the answer's no. I'm not going to let you come in some kind of disguise. So don't even bother asking," she said as she opened the file.

"I wasn't going to…" Ichigo began. However, he was cut off as the file smacked into his face as Tatsuki hopped up onto her desk.

"Oh yes you were. I know you better than that, Ichigo Kurosaki. You think that you have some kind of…of destiny to save the day, every day. You've played 'Hero' too many times in the past and now it's gotten to your head," she said as she grabbed his collar and began to give him a Dutch rub with her free hand.

A burst of Reiatsu knocked the wind out of her. Ichigo gently plucked her hand off of his coat and set her on the desk's edge.

"I am a Captain," he said slowly. "You're only a Lieutenant."

"That may be," Tatsuki said from her new seat, also getting serious. "However, Captain-Commander Kuchiki approved my appointment and has therefore assigned this expedition to me. If I say that you can't come, then you can't come. That's all there is to it."

"Heh, I should have known. You were never afraid to knock me down when I deserved it," he said with a smile. The tension that had briefly filled the small room vanished with those words.

"Yeah…and Captain or no Captain, I can still knock you down if I want to."

"I don't doubt that. So, have you chosen your team yet?"

"Well, Ikkaku's persistent in getting me to let him come. Unfortunately, Central 46 is against his nomination and so are some of the other Captains, except for Captain Zaraki of course. However, I think he should come. I trust him to obey my orders and he is an excellent fighter. Nemu is coming whether I want her to or not. Damn that Captain Kurotsuchi. He's using necessary equipment as blackmail."

"Is there anyone else?"

"Well, I'm hoping to bring a medic with us as the last member," she admitted. "You know…just in case."

"Why would you want to bring a medic?"

"Oh come on, just think about it. Suppose that some of the members in the first team are injured. They would need medical treatment. A medic was the one thing they didn't have. Tch, I bet they didn't think the needed one with all of those brutes from Squad 11 with them."

However, both knew the Truth and neither wanted to say it out loud. The reason why a medic was excluded from the first mission was because it was expected for those who were seriously injured would be put down.

"That's true," Ichigo said and sighed. "So, do you have any ideas?"

"Well, I definitely want a seated officer in Squad 4. We need one of the best. However, I want to make sure that there's as little possibility for our Arrancar Gigai to affect us in a negative way. And don't start your little rant about how they would never allow an Arrancar mentality to take over them," she growled.

Ichigo shut his mouth at that.

"Anyways," she continued. "We need to take any and all potential risk factors into consideration. I want to make sure that at least two of our members are low-risk factors. If I'm able to bring Ikkaku with me then he and I will most likely be high-risk factors due to our…natures," she admitted with a great deal of hesitation.

"Oh man, I never thought I would live to see the day. You're finally admitting that you do have a problem with your temper. I'm so proud of your progress," Ichigo said and laughed.

"Shut up before I pound you into hamburger meat," Tatsuki snarled. "Anyways, Nemu's a low-risk factor because she's…well…she's Nemu. You know what she's like."

"Yeah," Ichigo said. "She's about as assertive as a tray of ice cubes. So, you want someone who's…"

"I want someone who's as low-risk to develop a violent Hollow-like or Arrancar-like personality as I can get. Unlike the first expedition, I'm keeping a potential member's character in mind as much as their physical and mental health."

"That's very wise. You know…I may just have the person in mind."

"Oh…and who might that be?" she asked. She was curious as to whom Ichigo had in mind, but she was also suspicious.

"Well, he did help us out when I came with the others to rescue Rukia. I'm sure that he would like to have another chance at trying to help her. Although…the last time he helped out, Rukia practically cut him in half."

"Yeah, that was when you went to Hueco Mundo to rescue…" she trailed off.

"Orihime," Ichigo said. As he said her name it was as though a great heaviness fell on them. "Have you received any news about her lately?"

Tatsuki shook her head feeling the threatening melancholy. The last time either of them heard she was somewhere in what had once been the United States playing "Faith Healer." There were worse places in the world these days, but the ruins of Old America were not the place she would have taken Orihime. She had tried to find her, but it was as though Orihime kept moving around, refusing to be found. The strangest thing was that Orihime seemed to have found a way to keep from dying and was using it.

"I see," Ichigo said. His voice was monotonous and it unnerved Tatsuki.

She looked at him. She knew that he was hiding something. She sometimes got that same weird look from Rukia whenever Orihime's name was mentioned. She wondered what it was all about. However, she also knew that she wouldn't get any answers from either of them.

"Orihime's not important right now," Ichigo said, suddenly.

Tatsuki looked at him in surprise. He rarely ever said anything like that. Especially about friends, regardless of how out of touch they may be.

"I'm not saying that I'm not worried about Orihime," Ichigo said when he saw the shocked expression on Tatsuki's face. "It's just that the important thing is to figure out who your medic is going to be."

"Oh…that's right. We can talk about her later. You're right. There are more pressing issues right now. So, who do you have in mind?"

"Well, I already gave you enough hints, but…"

Ichigo pulled out a folder from under his Captain's haori and held it out for her.

_You bastard,_ Tatsuki thought. _You were playing me this whole time._

She took the folder and gasped as she saw the name on it.

"Are you serious?" Tatsuki asked. "Are you actually asking me to seriously consider…Hanataro Yamada?"

"As a matter of fact…I am," Ichigo said, grinning at her. She looked at him as though he was a particularly strange bug that she was idly considering squashing. "What?" Ichigo demanded.

"You want me to take the whipping boy of Squad 4 on a deep undercover mission behind enemy lines where the enemy is likely to either be a bunch of barbarians or Spartans? Have you completely lost your mind or are you punishing me for all those times I whooped your ass at the Dojo when we were kids?" she asked him flatly.

"Oh don't be so melodramatic," Ichigo said. "I know he doesn't put out a strong front." Tatsuki glared at him and raised an eyebrow. "Well…okay…that's putting it mildly. But he always shows his grit when things look hopeless."

"Uh-huh…didn't he once lose a fight to Kon?"

"Well…I wouldn't call that a 'fight'…I mean that in a good way."

"Well, I definitely can't see Central 46 trembling in fear of Hanataro Yamada. Fine, I'll ask Captain Unohana if she can spare him," Tatsuki said, still sounding exasperated.

"Do you promise?" Ichigo asked, smiling.

"Yes, now get out of my hair…please," Tatsuki said.

Ichigo smiled as Tatsuki waved for him to leave. When Tatsuki saw that Ichigo had left, she sighed. She would ask Captain Unohana about sending Hanataro on the mission. The sooner she did so the better since she wouldn't have to deal with Ichigo pestering her about it. She looked at the file that Ichigo gave her and gave a small snort.

"There's no way she'll let her little lamb run off to Hueco Mundo."

_**Squad 4 Barracks**_

_**Captain's Office**_

"What?" Tatsuki asked, her eyes bulging in surprise.

"I shall make arrangements for his absence at once," Captain Unohana said, smiling. Her face retained its placid elegance. "I want to thank you for providing such an excellent opportunity for him."

_Shit,_ Tatsuki thought as Unohana poured them another cup of tea.

_**Barracks Hallway**_

Tatsuki walked down the hallway after her little tea time with Captain Unohana. Even though she looked slightly irritated, or "normal" as Ichigo would have said if he saw her, she was actually practically fuming on the inside. She just couldn't believe that "Mama Bear" Unohana had so readily agreed to send Hanataro on such a dangerous mission.

Tatsuki tried to get Unohana to see reason and reconsider. However, Unohana refused and, to make her point across, gave her _other _smile. _That_ smile had been more than enough to make Tatsuki drop the subject altogether.

She just couldn't understand it. First Ichigo had seriously wanted her to consider Hanataro for the mission. And now, Captain Unohana had agreed to allow Squad 4's mascot to go to Hueco Mundo…again. The last time he went there he nearly got cut into Hollow sushi.

_Oh Chappy,_ she moaned. _Maybe they're in on it together._

She tried to find out why they were so eager for Hanataro to come along. She didn't think that they were doing this to do him any favors. However, she knew that Ichigo and Unohana were not the types of people who would play games just to get rid of someone, even if it was their worst enemy.

_So why are they doing this to me? Did I do something to earn their spite?_

"Uh…excuse me," someone said from behind her.

Tatsuki nearly jumped as she was suddenly brought out her thoughts. Then, she recognized who had spoken and stopped. She turned and saw the object of her annoyance standing there.

Even though Hanataro Yamada was slightly taller than he had been when she first met him, he was still scrawny and nearly effeminate. She was not surprised to see that he still had that drowsy look on his face that annoyed her whenever she saw it. His black hair was slightly longer and tied back with a red hair string.

_Definitely not helping you in the masculinity department,_ she thought.

Hanataro nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the look on her face. He took a few steps back and his eyes began to shift from side-to-side.

_Wow, looks like we got a real winner here, folks,_ she thought and sighed.

"What do you want?" she asked, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Well…uh…I…uh…Captain Unohana wanted me to…uh…uh…come speak with you about a mission. She…she told me that you wanted me to come along," he managed to say with some difficulty.

_Great, how can I tell him that I don't want him? Damn you Ichigo…and you too Scary Lady._

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Tatsuki said brusquely. "Look, I'm gonna just tell it to you straight. I…"

"I know," Hanataro said meekly. "I know that I'm not exactly someone you would want to take with you. I've always been told that I get in the way or that I'm not strong enough or…" he paused for a moment then looked at her in the eye. "But…please, please give me a chance."

Tatsuki was taken aback by his words. She had not expected him to be so upfront about his deficiencies. However, that did not change the fact that she was afraid that he would become a liability. And she knew what to do with liabilities. Ichigo may have faith in him, but that did not mean that she had to blindly follow him on that faith.

"Well, at least you know what my objections are. Look, if you turn out to be a liability, I will leave your worthless ass behind. If you get in my way, I'll leave to be some Arrancar's next meal. Do you understand, Yamada?"

"Yes," Hanataro mumbled.

Tatsuki looked at him. She sighed and scratched her head.

_What did I do to deserve this?_

"Look, the last thing I want to do is leave a comrade behind or having to kill them with my own hands. However, I will do so if I have to for the sake of the mission and the others under my command. Do you understand?"

"I…I would expect nothing else from Squad 2," Hanataro said and gave a respectful bow.

Tatsuki looked at him in surprise.

_Damn, he's just full of surprises today,_ she thought.

She wondered if he was talking back to her or if was just being his usual honest self. She had to admit that his honesty was both refreshing and a little uncomfortable. She could see that he wanted to prove that he was worthy to be in the Gotei. In some odd way she saw a little of herself in him at that moment.

"I can't believe that I'm actually doing this," she sighed. "Listen, I want you to be in front of the Squad 2 Barracks tomorrow at dawn. I'll…let you go through the testing period so long as you promise not to get yourself killed. Is that understood?"

"Y-yes," Hanataro said with what could have been happiness.

He gave a slight jump. She could see excitement blooming on his face. His eyes seemed to come to life. For a moment Tatsuki thought of one of the pictures that Rukia showed her. It showed Hanataro with bunny ears and a chibi bunny face holding a sign that said "GO GOTEI!" She found the thought both humorous and a little depressing.

_Did I ever feel that way? Was there ever a time when I was that alive?_

She shook her head as she watched Hanataro thanking her as he tried to make up his mind on what to do next.

_I'll never understand why Ichigo thinks that he would be good to have along. He must see something in him that I can't._

_**Department of Research and Development**_

Tatsuki did her best to fight the cold that seemed to fill every square inch of the Squad 12 Barracks as she watched the figure doing maneuvers on the metal arena floor below.

"What are you doing here?" Mayuri snapped.

Tatsuki looked at Mayuri and sighed.

"I'm checking up on my team," Tatsuki said. "I sent you a message that I would be coming by."

She ignored Mayuri's mutterings as she turned her attention back to the "Arrancar" that was going through maneuvers under a fluorescent spotlight. It reminded Tatsuki of some kind of avant-garde dancing performance.

She had been surprised to find Nemu already in her Gigai and beginning her rehabilitation to adapt to the new body. Tatsuki thought that the skin for Nemu's Gigai was too pale. It reminded her too much of the white face paint Mayuri liked to use.

_It looks so unnatural on a human,_ she thought. _But then again…was she ever really human to begin with?_

The Gigai's hair was the same color as Nemu's hair. However it was unbound and allowed to hang freely.

_Probably some poor attempt at a disguise,_ she thought.

The top of her head was covered by a helmet-like fragment with six eye sockets, a row of three on each side

"Yes, yes, I received that," Mayuri said, brushing her off. "However, your presence here is unnecessary. Nemu is more than qualified to use the technology. After all, she helped in its development. She's not quite so incompetent as to require the likes of you to hold her hand through the process while I oversee it," he snapped as he jotted something into his notes.

"For a moment it sounded as if you were complimenting her," Tatsuki mumbled to herself.

She would have rather said it straight to his face. However, she knew that it was always best not to insult someone who was going to perform an operation on you in the near future. That was especially true if the person happened to be Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

"Are you ready for your own insertion?" Mayuri asked. "We finished your Gigai only two hours ago."

"Not right now," Tatsuki said. "I want to finish getting my team lined up first."

_While I still have all my faculties,_ she thought.

"Then get out of here and do so. Time is a resource that I do not have in abundance and having to deal with you is only wasting it."

"Fine," Tatsuki said. "Oh…one last thing," she said and gestured to Nemu. "Why is she naked?" she demanded.

"She hasn't put on her new uniform yet. Now…good day," he snapped.

_**Squad 2 Lieutenant's Office**_

Tatsuki sat at her desk, waiting for the one she expected to come. She kept her small closet-office almost as neat as her superior kept her own office.

_Although,_ she thought as she pulled out a drawer. _Captain Sui-Feng doesn't have such a large stash to keep hidden._

She lifted the false bottom out and revealed a pair of cookie boxes, contraband from the World of the Living she acquired when she broke a smuggling ring. The records showed the captured stash to be smaller than expected. Of course, she had written the report after all and there were certain items that she decided to keep.

She pulled open one of the boxes and took out a small chocolate-covered cookie. She popped it into her mouth, savoring the flavor. The stash of cookies in her desk was just for easy access. Her real stashes had a lot more good stuff.

Despite holding herself above the eccentricities that plagued most of the higher officers she did have one guilty pleasure. Nakamura had his karaoke and Saijin had his collection of manga, but Tatsuki had her sweet tooth. In fact, only Lieutenant Yachiru had a bigger sweet tooth than her. However, she was far superior to the "Pink Menace" in safeguarding her treasure.

She kept her focus on the files on her desk. Her sharp ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming down the hall and towards her office. She smiled a little as she began the countdown. She returned the false bottom to its place with practiced ease.

"…three…two…one…and…"

The door burst open as Ikkaku Madarame rushed into her office.

"Hello, Baldy," she greeted. "What can I do for you?"

"I just got a response from Central 46," Madarame said, ignoring the nickname and Tatsuki's tone. "My application was rejected."

"I know," she said flatly.

"DAMN THEM! Tatsuki, I told you that I would do anything to go. Some of my closest friends were on that mission," he raged as he began to pace her office.

She thought that it was rather pathetic. His long strides were making the rounds a mere three-step affair: turn-around, step, and turn-around again, and repeat.

"I know, Ikkaku," she said and looked up at him. She could see the look of his desperation on his face. It was not something she was accustomed to. "I did what I could. I spoke on your behalf. Unfortunately, Central 46 decided that you shouldn't take part on this mission for…obvious reasons," she shrugged.

It wasn't that she didn't sympathize for the man who helped to show her the ropes when she first entered the Gotei and before she entered Squad 2. It was that facts were facts.

Ikkaku shook his head. He looked at her and Tatsuki could see the anger as well as the desperation.

"But…isn't there something you can do?"

"What more can I do?" she asked, a bit disturbed now. "You have a history of insubordination and don't forget that you…"

"DON'T REMIND ME!" he roared, slamming his hands onto her desk.

"Ikkaku," Tatsuki said gently, ignoring the files that fluttered around them. "You know why very few trust you on having anything to do with any vital missions for the Soul Society. They're rejecting you for the same reason they rejected your application for the first expedition."

"I know that I made a mistake. There's not a single day that passes that I'm not haunted by it. But…I need this, Lieutenant Arisawa. I need to restore my honor. The only reason that I'm still is a seated officer is because Captain Zaraki still trusts me, and yet I still can't take any comfort in his trust. There are days that I wish that I had been stripped of all my ranks. It would have been something like atoning for…for what I did.

"I need to prove to myself that I'm worthy of that trust; that I'm still worthy of my place among my comrades. Please, Lieutenant Arisawa, can't you do something."

It was hard for her to watch this proud warrior begging for something that she knew he needed. Her eyes drifted to the red feather firmly strapped to his right arm like a badge. Everyone in the Gotei knew about that story.

_He's still punishing himself after all of these years,_ she thought.

Tatsuki sighed and looked at Ikkaku's file. She knew that he would at least follow her orders. She had spent some time training with him and he had been sent on a couple of minor missions with her. He demonstrated that he could follow orders and they had developed a bond of trust between them.

Tatsuki had to admit that Ikkaku would have been in any group she would have liked to work with. She was already stuck with Hanataro and Nemu. One she trusted, but did not have the necessary skills for the mission; the other she did not trust, but had the necessary skills. Ikkaku was among the only ones whom she could trust and had the necessary abilities for their mission.

"I'll tell you what," she said. "I'll talk with the Captain-Commander. Perhaps he knows of some rule or anything that will let me by-pass Central 46's authority in this regard."

"Thank you. That's all that I can ask of you," Ikkaku said and bowed to her.

"Hey, what are friends for?" she asked.

She smiled at him and received a smile in return.

_**Las Noches**_

The figure walked alone down the hall. Her white battle gown flowed around her feet and the sandaled footsteps echoed off the pale stone. She stopped when she saw her face being reflected on the smooth wall's surface. The face reflecting back at her had a slightly troubled and tired expression.

_This can't be me,_ Nelliel Tu Odelschwank thought. _Where's the joy? Where's the innocence? Where is the real me? Or is this the real me now?_

She sighed and looked away from the sight and continued walking. She ran a hand over the ram's skull capping her head. Like the scar that used to run across the bridge of her nose, the mask was long since restored by the grace of Orihime Inoue. Its wholeness was reassuring, but she had learned the sad lesson that all must face at some point: some scars can never be healed.

The uniformity of the hall came to an abrupt end as false sunlight poured in to shine on her. It looked as though someone had simply torn away the wall in a frenzy some time ago judging by the layer of sand that covered the floor at the entrance. Nel stepped forward, her footprints marring the undisturbed sand, and stood on the brink. She stood a few meters above the expansive sea of white sand that seemed to shimmer like bone dust under the deceptive glamour of a blue sky.

In the distance she could see some of the buildings that made up Las Noches. White cubes and crimson towers and domes of colored quartz rose out of the sand like islands in an otherwise unbroken sea. Far in the distance she could make out the five tallest towers that seemed to pierce the sky.

She took it in, but any interest that had been in there was gone. She brought her right hand up to her mouth and forked the forefinger and middle finger and blew. The Reiatsu-enhanced whistle pierced the silence. She became quiet again and waited for a few seconds.

Suddenly, the sand in front of her exploded as something leapt out of the depths like a great fish. Nel formed a shield of Reishi around her that kept the sand off her and form a ring to mark the shield's boundary. The dust cloud cleared and she smiled.

"BAWABAWA!" the giant worm that reared in front of her cheered.

The creature was purple except for the lavender underside. Its eyeless head was crowned with a mask with two back-curving horns. Its opened mouth revealed rows of sharp teeth, most of which long-since dulled. A large purple tongue emerged from its mouth and licked the creature's mistress from knees to face.

"Stop it," Nel said, giving a slight laugh.

"BAWABAWA!" the creature cheered again.

Nel cleaned herself off with a burst of Reiatsu. She dug her hand into her battle dress close at the neckline and pulled out a small packet that fitted neatly in the palm of her hand. The worm cringed away from it, either from the mere sight of it or the bitter scent that came from the contents.

"Come on, Bawabawa. It's good for you."

"Bawabawa," the worm said gloomily as it lowered its head to the sand.

"Come on. Open up for Nel," she said in a more cheerful tone.

Bawabawa let out a little whine, but did as told. Un-phased by the sight of the sharp teeth, Nel threw the packet down its throat as though she was throwing a baseball.

"Good boy," she said, smiling.

"Bawa," the worm whimpered. It lay down on the sands and stuck its purple tongue out in disgust.

"I know what will cheer you up," Nel said, giving a small smile.

She leaped from the opening and landed nimbly on top of the skull plate. She sat down cross-legged and began to pat Bawabawa's head. The worm raised itself and cried out its name in a cheer. Lifting his mistress high off the ground, Bawabawa turned away from the wall and began to slither across the sands.

Nel closed her eyes as they raced across the desert. She recalled simpler times and lost friends.

"We are survivors of another era," she whispered.

That was the heart of it. She and Bawabawa were survivors. They were not "relics" as some would say. Regardless of how long they lived, a living creature is not an object.

She opened her eyes in time to see a red Bala streak into the sky at an angle. The Bala dissipated long before it reached the false sky above. She allowed her Pesquisa to flow from her and felt the echoes return to her.

She could feel two Arrancars sparring with each other. Their Reiatsu-levels were on par with those in the Privaron, but she didn't recognize them as members. Even then she knew that she could bring both down with very little effort. There were several weaker Reiatsu-levels surrounding them. She immediately knew what was going on: a sparring event with the weaker ones serving as spectators to cheer for their favorite to win.

A part of her was glad that the weaker Arrancars had a place where they could survive. However, she was also repulsed by the abundance of weakness. She had to fight the urge to interrupt what was probably seen as a great fight and show them what true strength was.

_Hold on,_ she thought. _Don't get too hasty. It's just a friendly contest. Let the masses have their fun. If things get too out of hand over there, the Privarons can sort it out._

She sighed and tapped Bawabawa's mask remnant in a rhythm. Bawabawa understood the command and turned away from the spectacle. She took a scenic route, or what passed on for one between the various compounds, to her final destination. Along the way she saw vacant pedestals that were meant for some great statue or a faded mural. She even saw the remnants of a great statue sticking out of the sand like figures crying for help even as the sea swallowed them.

_How would it look to someone who has never seen what these had been?_

The thought made her sad. She remembered. She turned her focus away from the sight of the ruins as she got closer to her destination. She could feel her rage and bitterness rising as she saw the broken dome rising out of the sand.

The dome was surrounded by cubes in various states of ruin. Broken covered corridors and bridges connected the structures to the central dome. Each of the outer-cubes originally had an ornate 8 above the great doors, but those had long since been wiped out during the Purge.

When Bawabawa reached the base of one of the grand stair-cases that led up to the doorway of one of the cubes, Nel leaped off and landed on one of the marble steps.

"Alright," she said. "You can go. I'll call you when I'm finished."

Bawabawa gave a whimper. She knew that he didn't like her fighting and so she did her best to not get into any fights. This was one of the few places where she could unwind a bit. She watched as Bawabawa retreated into the sands and turned her attention to building in front of her.

This place was a reminder of progress and betrayal. Even a pacifist like her could ravage it to her heart's content and not feel any shame or guilt.

She shivered as she felt the rage building up in her, heat trapped under the Hierro. She steeled herself and walked up the cracked and broken marble steps to the large entry way. The ornate gates had long since been blasted to pieces by her Ceros. The remnants still lay in the entryway. She made her way over the pieces, crushing some under intentionally heavy steps. She raised her hand and slowly gathered a Bala. She pictured the heat in her forming into a ball of energy.

She released it in a vicious jab at the largest pile of rubble she could see. She smiled as she watched the pile burst into several smaller pieces and scatter.

"Now then, what should I destroy next?" she whispered.

She made her way through the empty halls. The walls were badly charred or completely destroyed by the Ceros and Balas that were either from the time of the Purge or from her previous visits. She finally found her quarry, a large frieze of Szayel Aporro Granz creating his adoring Fraccion. Her last visit uncovered it when she blasted the rubble that had protected it form her sight all of this time.

The Day of Reckoning she had planned for it had come.

"TAKE THIS YOU FUCK!" she roared and fired a Bala at Szayel Aporro's pompous face.

She smiled as bits of stone flew out from the wall, wiping out Szayel Aporro's revoltingly handsome face. She turned her attention to the Fraccion and destroyed their adoring faces one-by-one. She savored the act of destruction, but made sure to save the one she wanted to destroy the most for last.

She didn't say anything after destroying the other faces on the frieze. Instead, she looked at the face she hated the most. She felt ill just looking at the nauseating adoration on that thin face. She gritted her teeth. For a moment she swore that she could hear his mocking silky voice.

"Unforgivable," she snarled. Her fist was clenched so hard that her nails dug into her palm. "This…is for all of those you sold out, you fucking bastard-Shinigami-ass-kissing-psychopathic-sociopathic-SACK OF SHIT!" she roared and fired a Bala at the crotch. "Shit, I wish you were here that way I could do that for real. But, then again, you might enjoy having a hole where your master had one," she snarled and fired a Cero at the carved knees. "How do ya like that? You're nothing but a cripple now." She laughed and then stopped as she eyed the arms. "Oh…but that won't do. You can still get around and you left others off in far worse conditions."

She unleashed a series of Balas at the carved arms in successive flashes. More stone broke free, severing the carved arms at the elbows. The whole wall began to crack from the destructive force Nel unleashed.

If Ichigo or Orihime saw her like this they would not have recognized her as the Nel they knew. But that Nel was gone. The fiery hatred in her eyes was so great that it would have caused Nnoitora to flee in terror.

"There, now you're the worm you really are. But then again…being a worm would be too good for you. Bawabawa's life is more important that yours…YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!"

She bit her lip and allowed the blood to flow into her mouth. She fought down the reckless urge to unleash that power. Instead, she settled for a humbler Cero burst from her mouth with her scream obliterating the torso from the chest down. She smiled viciously showing off her teeth. She looked like the powerful predator that she truly was. A few moments later she was panting for breath.

_There,_ she thought wearily. _May your body be torn to pieces by carrion eaters you fucking Reaper-wannabe._

She felt a whole lot better. Sometimes an act of destruction was needed to help regain a sense of equilibrium and she found that the best way to do that was to take it out on something with the image of the one you hated the most. And she could not think of anyone viler than the Octavian Director, Pytr Todesengel, for what he did.

She looked at the hateful face and lashed out with her fist. She didn't notice the pain as stone dug into her Hierro, drawing blood. She only wanted to destroy that hateful face in all of its incarnations. Nel brought her fist out of the hole she made in the stone wall and looked at the blood trickling from the wounds in surprise. She sighed as she held the bleeding hand in front of her. Self-consciousness regained its place in her mind.

"Damn it. Now I'm gonna get my battle dress all messy," she sighed.

She began to chuckle slightly when she saw that her once-pristine white battle dress was already dirty from the dust and sand that were slowly swallowing the long-abandoned complex. She made her way forward, searching for something else to destroy before heading out.

She stopped when she heard something she never expected to hear, especially in this forsaken place. From somewhere ahead she could hear laughter. But it wasn't just any laughter.

She smiled and used Sonído to reach the location where she thought she heard the sounds coming from. She stopped a few paces away from a doorway that led to one of the open lounging areas in the complex so that way she could better conceal the static sound of Sonído. She crept to the doorway and looked outside. Her eyes lit up and she smiled as she saw the small group of children.

There were about five of them, each one did not look any older than eight or nine in human years. She could smell at least one, maybe two, females in the group, but it was difficult to tell which one was the female since they all wore ragged robes and had long uncut hair. They were laughing as one, who was blindfolded, chased the other four around the ruined complex.

"TAG!" the chaser cried out as he caught an orange-haired child. "YOU'RE THE OCTAVIAN!"

"NO FAIR!" the tagged child said to the raven-haired chaser. "YOU PEEKED!"

"DID NOT!" the chaser cried out as he…

_No, that's one of the females,_ Nel thought. _I don't know how I know, but I just know._

The raven-haired girl took off the blindfold and held it out to the orange-haired boy.

"YOU'RE THE OCTAVIAN FAIR AND SQUARE!"

"Are you crazy?" one of the others, a blue-haired youth with a jaw-bone mask fragment along one cheek.

_The other female,_ Nel thought.

The blue-haired girl looked around.

"You might wake up the ghosts," she whispered.

"Oh…that's right," the chaser whispered dramatically. She hoped onto a boulder-sized piece of rubble and crouched as she looked at her playmates gathered at the base. "We have to be quiet. If you yell too loud here, you'll wake up the Octavians and they'll grab you and eat you."

"That's a lie. There's no such thing as Octavians," the orange-haired boy protested. However, he looked around as though afraid of seeing an Octavian jump out to grab him and eat him.

"Sure there are," the blue-haired girl said. "There are also the Others as well who live underground. If you get too close to their caves…they'll take you away."

"Who cares about the Others? They don't exist. Now come on, Alessandro is the Octavian now," the chaser said and held out the blindfold to him again. "That is if he's not too Mayuri to do it."

"Come on," a child with bright crimson hair said. "We all know that Alessandro is a Mayuri. Ca-ca-ca," he crowed. "Mayuri, Mayuri, Mayuri…"

The other children took up the chant and the orange-haired boy began to blush with embarrassment and rage.

"I'M NOT A MAYURI!" the boy yelled and grabbed the blindfold.

Nel smiled as the children began their game again. She watched them run, jump, laugh, and occasionally Sonído as they traded jovial insults.

_Children's games are such useful teaching tools,_ she thought and then frowned.

Watching them play brought too many memories. She could remember the sounds of her laughter filing the desert with Pesche and Dondochakka as they played their game of Endless Tag. That ended when they encountered Ichigo.

Her heart began to ache and she put a fist to her mouth. Hot tears prickled at her eyes. She turned and walked down the hall that she came from. The sound of the children's laughter came from behind her. It saddened her and yet brought comfort.

_How long has it been since I heard that sound?_

Nel couldn't remember and that drove the sadness home for her. It seemed as though that as time went on the Breeders produced less-and-less in their broods. Then there was how fewer of her fellow Primerans were willing to take on children that survived the development stages.

There had been a time that getting the pick of the brood was a sought-after honor. Now this…

She had a strange feeling that the five she encountered were among the Neglected. They had formed their own smaller tribe to help them to survive.

_Such a condemnation to Las Noches,_ she thought. She didn't want to risk discovery by the children and so used Sonído to return to exit. However, as she stood among the rubble of the entryway she began to curse herself.

_Coward,_ she thought. _You shouldn't be afraid of children._

She sighed and looked at the vast expanse of Las Noches and her eyes drifted to the Prime Towers. The five central towers rose high as if to pierce the sky. She thought of a bit of poetry she had read once in the Land of the Living that seemed to capture the heart of Las Noches perfectly:

"Behold this city, which has become a corpse," she whispered.

She didn't care about who said it. She only cared that it was true. She focused her gaze on what used to be called "The Fifth Tower." Even looking at it made her feel the immense force contained within. Her habitual frown deepened into a scowl. She began to think about the children and how many others who were born were like them.

_Damn you,_ she thought, rage deepening.

"DAMN YOU!" she roared as she unleashed a Bala at the tower.

She watched as her Bala flew across the expanse. However, it never got near the tower. As soon as it made contact with the greater force of the tower's occupant, it immediately dissipated. Nel looked at what was now called "The Tower of the Sleeping King."

"Which is worse?" she spat. "Is it the cruel tyrant who uses their realm as nothing more than a tool or is it the leader who does nothing as their realm crumbles around them?"

Nel's shoulders sagged as her fury left her.

She felt tired, but sleep wasn't something she could afford.

_How long?_ She asked herself. _How long until I can finally rest? How many more miles must I travel until I reach the End?_

She didn't know. She only knew that she had to remain strong.

She whistled for Bawabawa.

As she rode across the sands she began to wonder how to make the upcoming meeting work in her favor; in favor of Arrancars like those children who innocently played among the ruins of atrocity.

_**Seireitei**_

_**Squad 2 Barracks**_

The automated doors slid open silently to allow the young Captain to walk into the parlor of his fellow Captain. The first time he had paid a visit to this place he had been surprised at the décor. It had gone against all expectations. However, he was now somewhat used to the cat wall hangings and the wall paintings that showed black cats amidst a forest scenery. But he still felt that it was all at odds with the strict woman at the tea table, still in uniform and mask.

"Ah," Captain Nakamura said as he noticed his younger colleague enter. "I see that you're on time as always."

"Of course," Captain Rikichi said. "And I see that you're as early as usual."

Sui-Feng rapped a knuckle against the table top. Rikichi hastily took a seat where a second tea cup was laid out. When he was seated, Sui-Feng poured some tea into the cup. However, she did not pour herself any tea. He found it odd that even when she played hostess for them, she refused to share tea with them. However, it wasn't as odd as the fact that she kept her face hidden.

Sui-Feng looked at the younger man and saw him tracing the black tattoo over his left eye. She saw him tapping the table with the forefinger of his right hand in a steady, but quickening rhythm.

_He's rather impatient today,_ she thought. _That means he will be more difficult to control right now. Gods, the last thing I need for him to go off on one of his tirades about how The Vanguard is becoming too weak or too open. Why do I even bother bringing him to these meetings? _

She knew the answer to her question. She put up with Rikichi because he was supported by people whom she despised but whose support she needed.

"Captain Sui-Feng," Nakamura said. "We're ready to begin."

"Thank you," Sui-Feng said. "Captain Rikichi, I trust that we won't have to endure one of your tirades. After all, they're extremely counter-productive."

The Squad Six Captain glared at her. Sui-Feng couldn't help but notice that he looked as though he wanted to go off on one of his tantrums right then. However, he held his tongue and only nodded.

_Good boy,_ Sui-Feng thought.

"Very well," she said. "I wish to go over Lieutenant Arisawa's choices for those who are going to accompany her on the retrieval mission to Hueco Mundo. I must admit that I'm a bit…confused about her choices, especially…Hanataro Yamada from Squad 4."

"Tch…this mission is doomed to failure," Rikichi said. Even though he sounded despondent he looked extremely gleeful. "Perhaps that will finally convince the Arrancar-lovers on the Captain's Assembly to finally realize their mistake. If they refuse, then perhaps we can force them to recognize the Absolute Truth: Arrancars are vile creatures that must be destroyed, the sooner the better."

"I highly doubt that we can force them to see anything that we want them to, Captain," Nakamura said as he glared at Rikichi. "The Captain-Commander and his allies are entitled to their opinions. They are our peers."

"Don't you mean 'their treasons'? I don't see traitors as my equals, Captain Nakamura. I'm sure that we can all agree that trying to maintain that farce of a Treaty is the equivalent of cowardice and, at worst, treason." Rikichi turned his attention to Sui-Feng who felt a sense of unease. "I admit that I find it rather…odd that you actually approached Byakuya Kuchiki about this _retrieval mission,_" he said, spitting the last two words as though they were poisonous. "I hope that you're not becoming soft on us. But then again," he gave a soft, condescending smile. "You are a woman. It's perfectly natural for you to become soft. If that's the case then you should resign from The Vanguard. We can't afford any weak-links in a strong chain."

"That's enough," Nakamura growled. "Learn your place, Captain Rikichi. Captain Sui-Feng is your superior officer on all levels, including within The Vanguard. She and I agreed to approach the Captain-Commander about this matter after serious deliberation."

"And yet you left me out of the picture," Rikichi snapped. "Are you trying to cause the Zabimaru Squads to split from the rest of The Vanguard?"

"Not at all," Sui-Feng said calmly. "We merely did not want to distract you from your recruiting campaigns in the Seireitei. That is your role in The Vanguard after all. The story of Renji Abarai being killed at the hands of Yammy Riyalgo is one that needs to be told in order to stir up the lower ranks in our favor."

Rikichi nodded sternly, but the pleased expression on his face made Sui-Feng glad for her mask. She had heard his accounts of how Renji died and none of them were slightly true. Renji was not tortured by Aizen and he did not scream "Victory for the glorious Gotei" before Yammy squeezed him to death. From what she heard, his death was as quick as being crushed beneath one of Yammy's feet. And his final words, before the foot crushed him, were "Oh fuck." And those words had been moaned and not shouted. That sounded much more like the Lieutenant Abarai she knew. However, Rikichi loved to embellish the myth that his hero had become. He even named the group that followed his extremely far-right agendas after Renji's Zanpakuto.

She knew that it must anger Kuchiki's supporters that the former Lieutenant's legacy was now being used as a tool against them. She had to admit that it was a low tactic, but she had been taught by Yoruichi to use all tools without any hesitation to achieve her goals. However, that didn't mean that she had to enjoy it.

"What confuses me," Nakamura said, "is why you chose Lieutenant Arisawa to lead the mission. There's no question that she is a capable commander. However, you could have surely chosen someone else."

"Would you have preferred me to give the assignment to a member of The Vanguard?"

"Preferably a member of the Zabimaru Squads," Rikichi stated plainly.

"I have my reasons for giving the assignment to Lieutenant Arisawa," she said. Her voice had become lower and softer, but she did not allow the two men to hear the sorrow she felt.

"We don't doubt that," Nakamura said. "A highly-regarded commander such as you does nothing on a whim. What we wish to know though is why you chose Arisawa in particular. If you wished to undermine the retrieval team, then I would have to agree that one of the Zabimarus would suffice. However, you chose to send a valuable Soul Reaper on this ill-fated venture."

"Lieutenant Arisawa is one of my best students. She has served under my tutelage for over a century in my squad as well as serving with excellence in the Punishment Force. The task of attaining knowledge from Hueco Mundo and returning it to the Gotei is one she is capable of."

"You would trust a long-time acquaintance of that…that…half-breed, Kurosaki?" Rikichi demanded, heat rising as he spoke. He was answered with cold eyes falling on him.

"She was alive and associated closely with Captain Kurosaki for less than twenty years," Sui-Feng said evenly. "She has loyally served me for far longer than that and has earned my trust to carry out missions of a delicate nature many times over."

Rikichi cowered under her gaze, but then he rallied himself. He looked at her in the eyes and he gave her a knowing smile. He chuckled softly and his eyes narrowed.

"Oh…I bet she has earned your trust over the decades she has shared your bed since your own master left it," he sneered. Sui-Feng's eyes narrowed and a cold rage burned in them. However, Rikichi ignored it. "I wonder what you'll do when Arisawa also grows tired of your sweet kisses and your hands caressing her…"

Before he could finish an open hand slapped him across the face. Rikichi went sprawling out of his seat and onto the floor. He looked up, rage filling his face.

"Captain Rikichi," Nakamura said in a cold and even tone. "For such a high-ranking Conservative you have all of the tact of a savage. One does not insult either allies or superiors…especially when you're their guest. Regardless of whoever is backing you, you yourself remain the least among those at this table. You will control yourself or I will teach you the difference between a dog and a true Captain."

It wasn't that the bespectacled Captain doubted the nature of Sui-Feng's relationship with her closely-kept students. It was because propriety had to be considered. And when the Gotei was allowing beasts like Zaraki and madmen like Mayuri to become commanding officers, it didn't really matter if a model officer happened to have…different tastes.

Rikichi got back to his feet. For a moment he looked as though he was going to reach for his Zanpakuto. Fortunately, he thought better of it and merely bowed.

"I…apologize. Perhaps I have become so used to rallying for the cause amongst the ignorant that I have forgotten how to conduct myself among the faithful. I shall withdraw and will wait for a report on what you have decided," he said, his tone solemn and almost sincere.

Sui-Feng watched as Rikichi left. Nakamura merely sipped at his tea.

"He will remember that," she said.

"I should hope so. That boy has forgotten too many lessons. Bankai or not he is less fit than Zaraki to wear the white. Zaraki may be a beast, but he knows he is a beast and he is too proud to allow himself to be used."

"True," Sui-Feng said.

"Now that it's just us adults talking, do you wish to elaborate on your reasons?" he asked as he adjusted his glasses.

Sui-Feng did not say anything.

It was true that Tatsuki wasn't her best student, at least in terms of power. But the spikey-haired girl was the one who refused to be drawn into The Vanguard. She had cited a severe dislike of the group's agenda. However, despite their severe differences in political views they were still able to form a bond with each other. That bond made her invaluable to Sui-Feng.

There was no sex in it, despite what foolish men said. Her longing for Tatsuki was from the heart and not the loins. It was a relationship built on trust and understanding and admiration, much like what she had with Yoruichi.

She knew that Tatsuki would return and tell her exactly what happened. She would not favor either side with falsifications in her report. She would be straightforward and to the point because, when it came to matters of duty and honor and pride, she was a true soldier. That simple fact made Sui-Feng proud.

"I have no other reasons to share with you, Captain," she finally said.

Nakamura sighed and nodded his consent.

_Unlike the boy, this one's a real Captain,_ she thought._ However, there are some things that are never meant to be shared. I alone choose who I show my face to._

_**Squad 1 Barracks**_

Tatsuki Arisawa sighed as she stood in front of the large, intimidating doors that led to the Captain-Commander's office.

_Better get this over with as soon as possible,_ Tatsuki thought as she raised a fisted hand and knocked on the door.

She really hated coming to Squad 1's domain, but not for the same reason she hated going to the Squad 12 Barracks. It was just that it reminded her of the times she was sent to the principal's office back in the old days.

The doors opened and Tatsuki was not surprised to see the ever-cultured Squad 1 Lieutenant, Chojiro Sasakibe, standing before her.

"Ah, Lieutenant Arisawa," he said with the polite restraint of a gentleman. "Please, come in. You've been expected."

Tatsuki was surprised at those words and walked into the spacious office. The room was as bare as it always was, except for a vase filled with branches of cherry blossoms on a cherry-wood pedestal in one corner.

Byakuya was sitting at the large desk and was examining one of the many files that were neatly stacked next to him. It called to mind her struggles with the dreaded stacks.

_The badass never had this much paperwork to do in those anime shows,_ she thought with amusement and annoyance.

"Lieutenant Sasakibe, please wait outside until I summon you," Byakuya ordered.

"As you wish, sir," Chojiro said and gave a European-style bow before departing.

"Lieutenant Arisawa, you may approach," he told her, not looking up from the file he was examining.

Tatsuki always found it a little intimidating how the Captain-Commander could be so dismissive and yet so polite at the same time.

"Thank you, sir," she said and approached the desk.

"I know why you're here," he said and looked at her. He placed the open file in front of him and Tatsuki was somewhat surprised to see that it was Ikkaku's record. "You wish for Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame to go on the retrieval mission. However, Central 46 has already rejected his application."

"That's correct sir. I understand the reasons for their decision. However, I must…respectfully disagree," she said, managing to remain calm under that cold gaze.

"I see. However, I must agree with Central 46's decision in this matter." Tatsuki looked at Byakuya in surprise and was about to protest when he gestured for her to remain silent.

"I have my reasons for not wishing Officer Madarame to go," he continued. "However, I approved of your appointment to head this mission and you have your own reasons for wanting Officer Madarame to go. I am a Pragmatist. I do not bestow authority only to undermine it immediately. I want you to give me one good reason why I should overrule Central 46's decision on this matter."

Tatsuki nodded. She knew that Byakuya was the type of person who rarely changed their mind on anything. The situation with Rukia over 200 years before proved that. However, he was at least giving her a chance to plead her case.

"I need someone who I can trust and who has the skills necessary to ensure success."

"I see. Please continue."

"Sir, neither Officer Hanataro Yamada nor Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi have both requirements that I'm looking for in a Second-in-Command," she elaborated as she tried to keep herself from sweating.

_Damn it. This really does feel like being back in school and having to go up to the blackboard to solve a really difficult problem. I thought all of that stress was over._

"Why would you need a Second-in-Command?" he inquired in his cold, monotonous tone.

"I need one in case something happens to me," she said with a touch of heat creeping in to her tone. "I want this mission to succeed as much as you do sir. Lieutenant Kuchiki is one of Ichigo's…I mean Captain Kurosaki's friends. I still owe him for rescuing Orihime in the Winter War. I think this will finally make us even."

_Oh shit,_ she thought, realizing what she said. _Talk about unprofessional._

Byakuya looked at her and Tatsuki's heart sank when she saw him frowning.

_**Squad 2, Training Dojo**_

"That's enough," Sui-Feng declared.

The Reiatsu that filled the dojo subsided as the other Soul Reaper allowed her Reiatsu to drop to a more relaxed level. The Captain walked towards her student's Zanpakuto as it returned to its sealed state and pulled it out of the floor.

"You've improved," she continued as she made her way to her student.

She leaned forward to offer her hand to the spikey-haired woman lying on the floor. Tatsuki grabbed the hand and allowed the shorter woman to help her to her feet.

"I don't feel like I've improved," she muttered. "I mean, a hundred years later and I still can't beat you unarmed with my Zanpakuto."

"I'm never unarmed," Sui-Feng said, smiling at her pupil.

Tatsuki folded her arms across her chest. Her face took on an annoyed expression.

"You know what I mean, Cat Lady," she said.

However, she deflated with a moan as Sui-Feng began to giggle.

_Honestly,_ Tatsuki thought, extremely annoyed, _no one would believe me if I told them that the Captain actually has a sense of humor…especially when it comes at my expense._

"You know that you have improved. It's taking me a good deal more effort to put you under my feet, Porcupine."

Tatsuki moaned at the mention of the well-worn nickname.

_I always thought that I was supposed to be a dragon. But no…I'm a lame porcupine._

Tatsuki accepted the Zanpakuto with an irritated look and re-sheathed it. Sui-Feng left through the sliding door while Tatsuki gathered her uniform. It was an ordinary assassin's uniform except that it was backless. She dressed herself with an ease of decades spent performing the same motion and followed after her Captain.

As usual, Sui-Feng was sitting in the adjacent tea room, the only one in the compound without cat decorations, pouring juice into two saucers.

"Please, have a seat," Sui-Feng said and gestured to the mat across from her. "You must be anxious about your assignment."

"Yeah," Tatsuki moaned as she sat down. "Lately, however, I've been asking myself why I even accepted your recommendation. Come to think of it, what went through your mind when you approached me about this? You gave me a choice rather than an order. That's not like you."

Sui-Feng smiled as she sipped some of her juice.

"It's funny. I was originally planning on not telling you, but…" Sui-Feng fell silent.

Her gaze went to the saucer of juice in her remaining hand. Tatsuki held her tongue as the silence stretched on. She knew that her Captain was putting her thoughts together. However, she wondered exactly what she those thoughts were. Sui-Feng sighed, but did not raise her eyes.

"Did you know that the first time I saw you I saw a bit of myself in you?"

Tatsuki was taken aback by that. She wondered why Sui-Feng, who was reputed to have never formed any personal bonds with her subordinates, would take her under her wing. She had been sent to Squad 2 when she graduated from the Academy and seized the offer. It was only later that she began to seriously question why that had been.

As time went by it seemed as though the strict and impersonal Captain had changed in their training. She had formed a bond with very few of her subordinates with her female students receiving most of that small reserve. But none of the other girls were as close to the Captain as Tatsuki was. She had wondered about that even more as the differences between them became clear. She thought that Sui-Feng would have developed a closer bond with some of the others since they shared similar views.

"Well, this is a surprise. The Wasp is getting sentimental," Tatsuki said, trying to bring the conversation back into safer waters.

"And once again the Porcupine has shot out its quills without thinking," Sui-Feng said, smiling.

"I…I'm sorry, Captain."

"There's no need. It's just the two of us and I would rather have you being this way. It's refreshing to talk to someone who's not afraid to speak their mind to me, but does so in a non-insulting manner."

"In that chase…" Tatsuki said, grinning.

"Don't even think about," Sui-Feng said with a light but clear sternness. "It's bad enough that most of the men in the Gotei call me 'Pussy-lover' behind my back, and they're not just talking about cats."

"Tch…men…is that all they can think about?" Tatsuki asked, rolling her eyes.

_Although, I can't deny that I was worried that might be where she was going for a few years in our student-master relationship,_ she thought.

"Pretty much," Sui-Feng answered. She took another sip of juice. "There are exceptions of course, but not enough to make me reconsider my views on men in general."

Tatsuki chuckled a little at that. She took another sip of juice.

She knew that most of the Gotei would find it odd that Sui-Feng could be like this when she was around people she could trust. However, they would be even more surprised with how she could be around those on the much shorter list of those she could be at ease with.

"Of course," she said airily. "They were like that with me and Lady Yoruichi back in the day. The rumors were completely false, but that didn't stop them from spreading. Then Lady Yoruichi had to go and spread her own rumors about me and Urahara." Her expression soured at the memory. "Gods that was embarrassing."

"Yeah, well…I just hope you don't do that with me and Ikkaku," Tatsuki said, laughing. Her face went blank when she saw the mischievous look on her mentor's face.

"Well now…you refer to him by his first name. Such familiarity…" Sui-Feng said like a detective uncovering a vital piece of evidence.

"Don't even think about it, Captain. Ikkaku is a friend and is the only person in Squad 11 whom I can get along with. He's also one of the few people whom I trust."

"So that's why you wanted him on the retrieval team," Su-Feng said, becoming serious again.

"Yes Captain," Tatsuki replied, slipping back to business.

"Did you know that the Captain-Commander was set on agreeing with Central 46 on this matter?"

"He…told me about that."

"Yet, he has revised his position. You must have said something very profound to get him to change his mind," Sui-Feng said, smiling knowingly.

Tatsuki was not expecting that. She looked at her Captain.

_This must be some kind of joke,_ Tatsuki thought. _There's no way that Byakuya would change his mind. He almost never changes his mind on anything._

"I…I'm sorry, Captain, but…but did you say…?"

"That's right. He's agreed to send Ikkaku Madarame on the Retrieval Mission. He said that you were quite persuasive on the matter. Congratulations."

Tatsuki looked at her saucer of juice and smiled. There was one thing that would never change over time: it felt good to win.

"There is…something I want to ask you," Sui-Feng said, interrupting Tatsuki's happy moment.

"If it's about joining your War Hawk Party, you can forget it," Tatsuki snapped.

"Tch…we got rid of that gods-awful name a long time ago," Sui-Feng said, grimacing. "We now call ourselves 'The Vanguard.'"

"It doesn't really matter what you call yourselves. I'm not joining and my reasons have not changed one bit from the first time you asked."

Sui-Feng smiled and Tatsuki smiled back.

"I just wanted to make sure that you weren't becoming an ass-kisser. I can't stand that type. It's bad enough that I have to put up with them all day. It's also the reason why I chose you to go on this mission. Despite what Captain Kurosaki and his allies may think, I only act for the good of the Soul Society.

"That's why I can't afford to look weak around those whom I cannot absolutely trust. If I did, then I would lose all sense of authority, even among The Vanguard. Right now, Nakamura and I are the only authorities in The Vanguard who are keeping them from charging into a war that could be more devastating than either the Winter War or the Second Aizen War. That fear is why I will not allow partisanship influence such a critical mission," she declared and drained her saucer.

"However, that does not mean that I don't support its overall goals. As long as the Arrancars exist, they're a threat that must be eliminated. However, I don't want it to come at the cost of weakening the Gotei."

"I kinda figured that," Tatsuki said, relieved. "Is that all you wished to speak to me about?"

"No," Sui-Feng admitted after a lengthy pause. "There is…something else.

"As I said before, you remind me of myself when I was younger. I've…I've never told anyone about the real reason why I took you and the other girls under my wing. The reason is because of the fear I mentioned. If any of the other commanders in The Vanguard found out, they would depose me immediately, Nakamura included. He may be a man of honor, but Nakamura despises weakness. So, I've had to keep it a secret.

"However, I…I need to confess to someone."

Tatsuki looked at her Captain. She had never seen her look so vulnerable. She felt uncomfortable about this, but she felt compelled to be there for her Captain.

"Why? Why do you need to confess?"

"I need to do it for me," she said and looked at Tatsuki.

"When I served under Lady Yoruichi, our bond was more than just a matter of officer-and-subordinate. My clan has always been more of a military institution than an actual family. My value was based purely on my merit as a soldier.

"With Lady Yoruichi it was…different. It was as though we were…family. Before I entered her service I was merely content, like someone who has lived-off scraps and never being able to fill their belly. She changed that. She changed me. She gave me something that I never knew I was missing.

"Then…she left me behind. I had found my heart…only for it to be broken. When I took her place after she went into exile with Urahara I swore never to become attached to any of my subordinates. I tried to go back to what I had been, and even her coming back into my life didn't make me fully renounce the effort. But then…" she trailed off.

"You lost your Lieutenant in the Winter War."

Sui-Feng nodded, her eyes were becoming wet with tears.

"Yes, he died saving me. I lost an arm," she said and looked at the stump where her left arm ended at the elbow, "and he lost his life.

"At first, I felt nothing but hatred. However, I didn't just hate Baraggan and his race. I hated my own weakness forcing Omaeda to such an act. Then, as time passed, I realized how alone and empty I felt ever since Lady Yoruichi left. I tried to restore that old relationship with her, but I just…I just couldn't. So, I decided that I would try to form a relationship like that. That's why I brought you and the others under my wing. I…I suppose you probably hate me for using you to try to fill that void," Sui-Feng said, averting her eyes in shame.

Tatsuki sat in silence to let the words and their importance to settle in. She knew why Sui-Feng told her this before she left and in such a private area.

_She carries a heavy burden,_ Tatsuki thought.

She knew that her Captain's greatest regret was not telling Omaeda "Thank you" for his loyalty before he was consumed by Baraggan's Respira.

_She trusts me enough to tell me the truth and she wants me to know in case I can't come back. What can I say to that? It's not every day that someone bares their very soul to you. How do I repay that kind of trust?_

"Captain, may I say something?"

"Go ahead," Sui-Feng whispered.

_She's afraid. This is the "Wasp" and she is more afraid of what I say next than anything else I have seen her face in 150 years other than showing weakness to any who would take advantage of the situation._

Tatsuki knew that she had to press on. There were things that needed to be said.

"One can never copy a relationship," Tatsuki said in what she hoped was a firm and yet gentle voice. "Otherwise, it's not really a relationship. However, I never felt that you were trying to copy any kind of relationship with me. While I do view you as my commanding officer, I do feel that you've become…"

Tatsuki sighed. She knew how to repay Sui-Feng for the trust she showed her. However, that did not make it easy.

"I was able to cheat a bit with the 'Goodbyes' to my own family," Tatsuki continued. "It wasn't as heartbreaking as I thought it would be. I was closest to my father. He always came to cheer me on in any of the matches I was in, despite his illness. My mother was different.

"She wasn't a bad woman. She supported me. But I realized at some point that I didn't fit into her plans for me. However, she never seemed to recognize that. She said that she gave up on her hopes for me to become the 'perfect daughter,' but after Dad's death, she became more demanding and more distant every time I failed at meeting her standards. She never really let go of the idea of me becoming the ideal daughter she always dreamed about. But that…demand…that distance…" Tatsuki shook her head.

"Shit, I guess what I'm trying to say is…is that you're the kind of person I would want as my mother."

Tatsuki sighed as she finished her own confession. She never told anyone about her family life. They had their own respective tragedies and airing out her personal dirty secrets would have been in bad taste. However, it was out.

Sui-Feng looked at Tatsuki and did something that she rarely did and would have never done in front of a subordinate: she cried.

_What happens now? Where do we go from here, now that some of our skeletons are out?_ She thought.

Tatsuki swore to herself that she would never tell anyone about this. She drained her saucer and looked at it.

_I wish she could have given me something a bit stronger than juice._

**End of Chapter 1**

**A.N.: Time and circumstances change people, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst. As a result, many of the characters will be different from how they are in the manga and anime. For example, the Rikichi of the anime is light-hearted and a bit naïve, a far-cry from how he is in the story. However, this change was partially due to his hero-worship of Renji and his desire to make Renji into a larger-than-life figure. This type of hero-worship is very common, but it does take away a person's humanity until one can no longer distinguish the difference between the person and the myth.**

**Also, when the children in Las Noches call someone a "Mayuri" it's the equivalent of calling them a "Chicken."**

**Thank you for reading, and please review.**


	3. Chapter 2: Unfamiliar Seas

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 2: Unfamiliar Seas**

The lone man walked across the desert. The footsteps in his wake were erased by the howling wind. He paused at the crest of a dune to look at his surroundings. Las Noches stood deceptively distant behind him, the focal point of navigation under the starless sky of Hueco Mundo.

He had no need to use Las Noches to find his way. His destination was in sight, partially concealed by a pair of crystalline trees that stood in front of him. He remembered the majestic trees that these mere branches were a part of that formed the Menos Forest far below. It was believed that the roots reached to the very center of the world and were the paths that first Hollows used to travel upwards to the surface.

The mere sight of the branches breaking the surface was a marvelous sight in a landscape of tedious repetition. Yet he was among the few foreigners that could find any charm in it. He looked down and saw a Hollow lizard crawl its way out of the sand and sniff at his worn brown boots. The single brown eye not concealed by his thick dark hair watched the creature until it was satisfied and burrowed back into the sand.

He used his Reiatsu to slide down the dune. The hood of his grey jacket flew back, revealing his full head of dark brown hair. There was a grace to his movement that some would consider stylish, but he merely viewed it as practical. He knew that he could go faster if he wanted to, but manners and common sense dictated a steady approach.

He suddenly came to a stop. His eyes shifted over to a nearby dune as it erupted. A large, bull-headed Hollow emerged in a cloud of sand. It unleashed a victorious roar as it spotted him. It rushed forward, but the man did not move. When the creature got close, the man swung his arm in a back-handed slap. The impact sent the creature flying backwards. It crashed into the sands, raising a cloud of dust. As the cloud settled, the creature moaned in rage and tried to get up. The man approached it.

"It's strange to see one of you here. Well, I guess it will make up for forgetting to bring a peach," Yasutora "Chad" Sado said in his slow, deep voice.

The years had caused him to become taller than most tall men. He had the same build that he did in his younger days. Despite having lived for a little over 200 years he looked like a man in his late twenties to early thirties. A closely cropped beard covered his face. To any who looked, they would see that he did not have a brute's face, but a handsome face with eyes filled with the quiet, sorrowful knowledge of the years they had seen.

"It's been a while since someone like you attacked me. I suppose that means I'm getting better at hiding it."

The Hollow picked itself up and roared at him as it clawed at the sandy ground. It was right to let it get up, even though it wouldn't change the outcome. However, it was important to hold oneself to some code of standards when one had any kind of power.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as the Hollow rushed towards him. "You're not going to leave me with any other choice. Are you?"

The Hollow roared in rage. It was almost as though the creature understood what he said. Chad looked at his left hand and closed his eyes. He hoped that the Hollow would just walk away, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. He hated having to kill anything, but he would do it if he had to.

"Brazo Izquierda del Diablo," he said.

His left arm changed just as the Hollow launched a large fist at him. Chad moved slightly and grabbed the Hollow's wrist. The creature roared in pain and rage as Chad tore its arm off with casual ease. Blood splattered across the sand. The pain only caused the creature to become more enraged. Chad sighed as he casually tossed the limb aside.

"I'm sorry that I have to do this."

In a quick and smooth motion Chad thrust his left hand into the Hollow's Hierro chest as though it was mere paper. The creature did not have time to scream or struggle. Chad seized its beating heart and crushed it with ease.

The eyes behind the mask widened in shock before growing dim as its life was extinguished like a flickering flame in a strong wind. He could feel the body become lax as his arm supported nothing but dead weight.

He sighed as he loosened his hold on the ruined heart and withdrew his arm. He lifted the creature over his shoulder and continued on his way.

He felt sorry for the poor creature. Regardless of what the Soul Society dictated, Hollows were in and of themselves not evil. Most of them were little more than wild beasts that only acted out of their survival instincts.

_It was a mercy,_ he thought sadly. _I have freed it of an existence of agony to itself and others._

He thought about the first encounter he had with the world that Ichigo was meant for. The Hollow Shrieker was the first time he ever encountered true evil. This creature was not the same for there was no malicious purpose behind the attack, only the instinct to survive.

_Good and evil cannot exist without free will,_ he thought.

As he walked, the creature's black blood oozed from the gaping wound, drenching his back. The feeling was all-too familiar for him. He remembered times when he carried the wounded, either comrade or enemy, on his broad shoulders. There were times that he carried their corpses like this as well. However, those days were in the past and now his shoulders were used to carry trophies like the one he now possessed.

He paused for a moment and looked at the crescent moon high above him. He found it rather odd that the moon was always the same here, bathing the sands with its silvery light. For him, the moon symbolized purity, untouched by the triumphs and tragedies it witnessed below. Though, in this land, purity was synonymous with sterility and the corruption of the natural order of where life was allowed to thrive.

_Don't think such things,_ he chided. _You're starting to think like an old man._

It was true that he was old in years, but he wondered how much his outlook had changed since the old days in Karakura Town. He allowed his mind to drift to those days with him and Ichigo watching each other's back. He wished that he could have those days again.

_It's no good to dwell on the past. Those days are gone. There is only "Now."_

He continued forward, adjusting his burden a little to get a better grip on the carcass. He ascended a high dune until the structure came into view.

It was one of the most magnificent structures in all of Hueco Mundo. He had seen the tribal cities and this structure, in his opinion, surpassed them. Only the great city of Las Noches surpassed The Shrine.

The Shrine was like a ziggurat, and was most likely modeled after the ancient temple of Ur. It rose from the desert sands, reaching high into the black heavens with great sandstone steps. At the top, a dome of quartz gleamed in the moonlight. The glow of lunar crystals set at the corners and at regular intervals bathed the structure in a soothing white light. He saw clusters of the upper branches of the Crystalline Trees protruding through the surface around the structure. He could make out the outlines of the murals of geometric shapes carved on the stones. He saw a group of Arrancars at work on one of the upper levels, most likely either repairing such a mural or making a new one.

He knew that anyone from the Soul Society who saw this would wonder why Arrancars would build such a magnificent structure. Of course, they would be more baffled with how Arrancars could build such a structure.

Chad knew that, despite its appearance, it wasn't a single structure. It was an entire compound of structures that the ziggurat had been built over, absorbing them into its stepped armor. The defense of this place was a great concern since at its very heart was one of the most sacred sites in all of Hueco Mundo.

Suddenly, he heard the deep and steady sounds of hide-covered drums mixed with the sorrowful songs of flutes filling the night. He turned and saw a small band of Arrancars making their way in a slow procession to the main entrance. He could barely make out other such bands making their way to the great structure.

_They must be pilgrims. This is not exactly my best timing, but I suppose there's no turning back._

He shifted the Hollow's carcass on his shoulder and he slid down the dune. He made his way to the base of the natural ledge of sandstone that The Shrine rested on. He walked along the outside until he came to a flight of steps, hidden among the rocks, that was used as a back entrance. He walked up the steps and smiled when he saw that the Guardians who were concealed among the rocks bow to him and did not hinder him.

_She's expecting me._

He stopped when he reached the top. An Acolyte dressed in a hide skirt and white silk bandages wrapped around her chest stepped forward. The thin silver chain that held her veil in place marked her as a high-ranking Acolyte and the crimson serpent tattoo that wound around her left arm marked her as a member of the Anaconda Sisterhood.

"I come bearing a gift for the Chief Acolyte."

Chad laid the corpse onto the ground in front of him. He could feel the Acolyte's eyes rest on the medallion that his grandfather gave him.

"It is a good gift. The Chief Acolyte waits for you in the Great Mother's Shrine and has granted you free passage, Emissary Sado."

"Thank you," Chad said and gave a polite bow.

He passed through one of the archways and into one of the passageways that led to the inner regions of The Shrine.

The wide and tall passageway to the sacred site was grand but it was bare. This was to make sure that the glorious trappings of the Inner Chamber were all the more poignant to those who beheld them. While he found it a pleasant sight, it was also a foreign one. It was the heart of a creed that he respected, but did not adhere to.

Keeping count of the columns made it easier to find the right stone to press in. However, he found it a little too easily. The Reiatsu-created sandstone was, unlike its neighbors, worn from use. He knew that he would have to inform her. He pressed on the stone and there was a slight clicking sound. A section of the wall swung out a little. With the practice motion of years, Chad opened it enough to slip through before pulling on the iron rung on the other side to slide the door into place. He pulled until he heard another clicking sound that meant that the locking mechanism was activated.

He turned and knew that he was in the area with the Acolytes' living quarters, the ceremonial chambers for the Sisterhoods, and the birthing pits. Even though each of these areas was massive, they hardly filled the Shrine. He knew that the storehouses, Acolyte housings, and other necessities were hidden away amongst the grandeur.

Chad relaxed a bit more now and began to make his way through the labyrinth of corridors with the ease of familiarity. He noticed that the halls were more deserted than usual. He had a feeling that they were busy tending to the pilgrims he had seen.

He passed one girl who was sitting in one of the alcoves that dotted the hallway. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips were pressed together as she read a thin stone tablet. She had flaming red hair and pale skin. She looked as though she was in her late teens by human standards, but that indicated that she was closer to twelve years in Arrancar development. She wore the hide skirt and chest wrappings of an Acolyte. However, she lacked a tattoo on her arm. The veil she wore was held by a simple cloth string.

_She's an Initiate,_ Chad thought. _She looks kind of like Ichigo whenever he tried to concentrate on his studies._

He found the thought to be rather amusing. He gave a small chuckle that humans would miss. However, Arrancar ears were sharper than human ears. The girl's head went up in a sharp movement. She nearly dropped the tablet, but was able to regain her grip on it. She glared at Chad and looked as though she was about to yell at him before stopping. Even though the face below her large green eyes was hidden by the veil, Chad could tell that she was confused.

_She's wondering why I'm here and why I don't have a mask._

"Sorry," Chad said.

He resumed his trek through the unmarked corridors. If an intruder did infiltrate this far they would get lost quickly. A faint trace of amusement came over him when he realized that the Initiate was following after him as stealthily as she could. He knew that she probably did it as much to get away from her studies as to inspect an intruder.

The occasional doors were made of slabs of sandstone on hinges. He originally thought that the Arrancars' fondness for rock had something to do with strength. However, it was merely from practicality. There were no real trees outside of Las Noches, except for probably in Octavia. However, any decently powerful Arrancar could harden sand into sandstone to some degree. And sand was something that Hueco Mundo did not lack.

He saw a tapestry of a three-horned doe blocking his path. Chad thought that it looked fresher than he remembered. It was either a new hanging or some poor Initiate had been ordered to clean it. He did not break his stride as he pulled it aside and stepped through.

He felt his tail's unease increase and he frowned. He didn't want to leave someone in such a state. But words had never been his strong suit. That was one thing he admired about the last Quincy. Uryu may have talked too much, but as a result he was good at talking when it counted.

"That's enough," a relatively husky voice called out from somewhere ahead. "I'm expecting him."

Chad could hear the girl stumble and then make a hasty retreat. He shook his head and put his hands in his pockets. He walked down the hall and made the last turn that revealed an open door. He recognized the invitation and stepped into the room.

"Was it necessary to scare her?" he asked the figure stretched out on a hide-covered bed of sandstone.

"Yes. Consider it a lesson in obedience and growing a spine; two for the price of one." The woman gave a slight chuckle.

"Why does motivation and intimidation have to be one and the same for you Apacci?"

The veteran Arrancar sat up. Despite the veil, he could tell that she was smiling. He smiled and knew that she appreciated the expression.

The loud and high-strung Arrancar had come a long way from the badly burned survivor Harribel carried from the Fake Karakura Town. However, the scars remained. Even though the veil hid the destroyed part of her face, her nearly bare upper body revealed most of the scarred flesh.

Even though Orihime offered to heal her Apacci had only allowed her left arm to be restored. She had never tried to conceal the scars after her mistress's death. Yet despite those things, Apacci was bothered by the idea of being hideous. Chad felt as though Apacci kept the scars to remind her of what she lost.

Chad had seen her face without the veil and did not flinch at it. This caused Apacci to understand how loyal he was willing to be with her. Arrancars viewed loyalty as solemn and binding and once someone did something to earn loyalty, it was nearly impossible to break. It was one reason that Chad had come to respect the Arrancars. Although there were times that their mindless loyalty annoyed him.

And then there was the matter of their aggression. On average, Arrancars were more aggressive than humans and as a result most Arrancars only reached their thirties in terms of human years either from their tribal wars or from duels.

"Well…where's my fruit?" she asked as she sniffed the air.

"I…uh…I forgot."

"IDIOT!" Apacci screamed and threw a sandal at him.

The sandal struck his forehead, to very little effect, and fell to the floor. Chad looked at it and then at Apacci who now standing on top of the bed, glaring at him.

"How could you possibly forget? You know how much that stuff costs."

"I forgot by…not remembering?" he answered lamely.

Apacci's eyes opened wide. Incredulity filled them. Chad scratched his beard, wondering how he should handle this. He saw her eyes narrow and saw the faint hints of a smile. Chad's eyes widened as she launched herself from the bed. She struck him in the stomach, elbows first. Chad gave a small grunt, more from surprise than pain, as he toppled to the floor. He looked at Apacci who was now straddling his chest.

"I…I did bring a kill."

"Tch…it's probably nothing that I couldn't catch myself. Honestly, you seem to be only good for two things. Since you failed at one," she said as she began to unwind the crimson silk bandages from her chest, "let's get to the other. I need some fucking stress-release."

As soon as she bared her upper body, she unfastened the belt of Hollow skin that she wore around her waist and began to take off the pelt skirt. However, she did not loosen her hold so that he could stand up.

Chad began to wonder if he could force his way to his feet. The answer used to be obvious. However, she had become immensely strong over the centuries. He began to think that they should spar again soon, his armor against her Resurrección.

The last time they sparred, he saw first-hand that she had become far more powerful than she had been in the Winter War. He thought that she would have been ranked somewhere in the lower five of the Espada, if they still existed.

He brought his attention on her again. She was working at his pants and was completely naked except for the veil. The only time she was willing to take the veil off was when she entered her Resurrección, which was not scarred for some reason he did not understand. Even though he found her beautiful regardless of what form she was in, he hoped that she wouldn't try to get him to have sex with her while she was in that form. He found that idea to be a bit too uncomfortable for his taste.

However, he could tell that she was more stressed than usual. Something was bothering her.

"Is it the Sons?" he asked.

Apacci stopped her effort and looked at him.

"I wish," she whispered and lowered her gaze.

"Tell me."

She sighed put her head against his chest.

"It's not the Sons, even though they're still a pain in the ass. It's the Heresy."

"What?"

"There are Arrancars that are talking about that…that murderer being a hero. The thing is that it's not the usual assholes either. They think he did it out of love. They believe that by killing her, he set her free to be a goddess, unbound by flesh!"

As she spoke, Chad saw angry tears forming in her eyes. This stunned him. He had never seen her get like this before.

"The terrible thing is that it's not just Adherents, but some of the Acolytes are buying it and are preaching it behind my back! Do you have any idea what that's like?"

Chad was conflicted. He never liked the Great Mother religion's hateful tone. History made the consequences of hatred clear. However, Apacci clearly saw this as a betrayal by followers that were practically a clan to her. There was no doubt that it opened old wounds.

_No,_ he thought. _Those wounds never truly healed._

"I could handle the Queen questioning my authority, but this…this is an attack on the Great Mother herself. I can't do anything, but…"

Apacci looked at him. She looked as though she was lost and afraid. He knew that she couldn't let it go, but the thought of persecuting her own people frightened her.

"Are you sure that it's a good idea for us to meet if you're under attack? I mean secrets are bad enough for people in your position, but…"

He was cut off by an elbow jab. Chad closed his mouth and looked at Apacci. Her eyes were playful again and her tears had run their course. She put a finger over his lips.

"Don't be stupid. We both know that won't do much to help me. Besides…" she teased. "I'm not the only one keeping secrets."

Apacci ran her finger tips through his beard. Chad smiled at the familiarity of her fingertips.

_I guess a long life comes with complications,_ Chad thought.

She placed a hand on the sides of his face and leaned forward to kiss him through her veil.

_**Karakura Town**_

_I am a stranger in a strange land,_ Ichigo thought.

So much had changed in the land where he once lived. The place he would always know as Karakura Town had grown into a thriving metropolis. Gilded buildings of glass and metal rose high into the sky as though trying to break through the heavens. Foreign names graced the façades as though the European banks and businesses were marking their territory. He could make out the sky gardens in their glass enclosures further up the buildings, areas reserved for the elite. A network of energy parks, filled with great solar panels and wind funnels, fed energy to the city.

The sky was filled with holographic giants peddling their wares. The streets had smaller versions of the holographic projectors set outside individual shops. He looked at one showing a young teen in an extremely skimpy bikini and showing off her too-large breasts winking and gesturing.

"Come on in," the false model purred. "Live out your fantasies. Become who you want to become. Indulge in your desires."

Ichigo shook his head as he walked past the Entertainment House where people were lining up to live a few hours in a false world to live out their darkest desires. He was glad that his final destination was not in the midst of this glamour, as fake as the worlds in the virtual pods within the Entertainment Houses.

He knew that the illusion of prosperity did not reach as far as it appeared. His destination was in the place where society's true face reared its Gorgon's head. He made his way into the areas that the European and Asian tourists and businessmen did not travel, at least not unless they had less-reputable business to conduct. The Entertainment Houses, shops, and restaurants gave way to places of ill-repute and homes for the less well-off.

Crimson light from the brothels flooded the dirty streets and the smell of decay filled his nostrils. Puddles of stagnant water filled the broken pavement, reflecting the advertisements from the ritzier area as if they were phantoms sent to torment the inhabitants with the promises that would never be theirs. Despite the decay, Ichigo felt as though this was closer to being home than the gleaming streets he had left.

He knew that he could have just had a Senkaimon open in front of his destination, but he didn't want that. Whenever he came here, he felt the need to know what the place he knew had become and to remind himself of the true cost of victory. The last time he saw his hometown the way he remembered it was when it was reduced to a pile of ashes and charred ruins during the Second Aizen War, another victim of Aizen's vengeance.

He looked down one of the alleyways and saw a group of those on the lowest end of society's ladder. Two of them were taking on one of the many disease-ridden prostitutes while the others sat around shooting up Soma or Lotus or any of the other drugs that was floating around the world. He sighed at these pitiful creatures, killing their sorrows by killing themselves.

_If this is what the living have become then it would have been better if Aizen won._

He shook his head at the thought. He could feel rage building inside him for even thinking that.

The Arrancars had been proof that Aizen was nothing but a hypocrite. He could have easily gained their undying loyalty as their Maker. He could have used them to help him build the new world he claimed to dream about. Instead, he neglected them and used them merely as pawns. He did not even spare a look when his followers who had freed him burned, calling out his name for him to save them. There had been others, so many others, who were sacrificed for the sake of his ambition and pettiness.

He could still remember that voice calling out in desperation and terror. That voice had called for him. And he had failed. In the end he could not save everyone. All victory came at a price. Most of the time that price was too high but it had to be paid for the sake of the greater good.

There would be no forgiveness. There would be no regret. Even if Aizen had been a messiah, he would not regret the part he played to bring him down for the last time.

He stopped when he realized that he had reached the shop. The words "Urahara Shoten" were barely visible on the shop's crumbling façade. He felt a storm of emotions rise at the sight. However, the emotion he felt the most was nostalgia. He smiled.

_An island of memories in an unfamiliar sea,_ he thought.

It was as close to the original shop that Kisuke could get to with all of the renovations done over 200 years on top with having the upper structure rebuilt. The overlooked candy store was used as something like Noah's Ark. He remembered how humans were flash-stepped into the large cavern far below to save them from Aizen's wrath. Over a hundred of the innocent were saved thanks to the shop. However, thousands died that day when Karakura Town burned like a funeral pyre.

It was comforting, but it was also disturbing to see. It was a piece of his hometown amidst the stranger city that had risen from the ashes.

A familiar girl with black pigtails and a pink dress opened the door. She had her usual woeful expression and was holding a broom in her small hands. He raised his hand and was about to call a greeting but stopped when another girl who was wearing a bright red shirt and a denim jacket walked out. She had the same black hair and the same big eyes as Ururu, and they were roughly the same height. However, while Ururu's eyes always down-cast, the other girl's eyes always shone with confidence.

_The more things change…_

"ICHIGO!" the other girl called out.

He barely had time to brace himself before she planted a small fist in his gut. He doubled-over from the impact.

"Jerk," she said, planting her fists on her thin hips.

"Uh…Yura, Mr. Urahara told us not to hit customers."

"Does he ever _buy_ anything? Besides, he had it coming for not playing a nice friendly game of soccer with me the last time he was here."

"But…you were in the bathroom," Ururu said and then cringed a little.

Ichigo frowned a little. He knew the gesture all too well.

Yura crossed her arms and began grumbling under her breath. Then a large hand grabbed her head. She let out a cry of surprise as she was lifted off the ground.

"He may not be a customer, but you reserve that kind of behavior for moochers. Young ladies do not punch people in the gut for no reason," Tessai said.

"It's no problem. She's a light-weight compared to most of the women who hit me."

"Ah, good evening Mr. Kurosaki, the boss is meeting someone, but they haven't arrived yet," Tessai said as he let the girl drop into her sister's arms.

"Oh…who is it?" Ichigo asked, not really interested.

"I'm afraid that's the boss's business," Tessai answered sternly, folding his arms across his chest. "However, I'm sure he would like to talk to you," he said in a friendlier tone.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impede him."

_And considering that I'm here to ask for a favor…_

"He won't mind. I'll take you right to him. Ururu, Yura, you two get back to work."

"Yeah, yeah," Yura said and snapped a sarcastic salute before grabbing her sister's hand. "Come on Ururu, the War on Dust is just heating up."

"Alright Jinta…I mean…alright Yura," the mellow girl said as she was tugged gently along.

Ichigo looked at Ururu and sighed.

"She's still not used to not having Jinta around."

"No. She still has nightmares and she still wakes up crying. It's been better with Yura sharing a bunk. But…even new people don't fill the holes left behind."

Ichigo nodded. It was true, especially when those holes had been savagely ripped to begin with. The Second Aizen War had been devastating on everyone, especially on those who helped to defeat Aizen during the Winter War. The fucking bastard had been thinking about what to do when he was liberated from that pit, and he put all of his power and cunning to make it happen.

He noticed that Tessai still walked with a very heavy limp. However, he was glad to see that Tessai had finally decided to get an arm replacement. His left arm had been reduced to nothing more than a lump of mangled flesh filled with broken bone when he tried to defend his comrades from Aizen's wrath. For some reason he had politely waved off Orihime's offer to heal it and then Uryu's offer of a prosthetic limb.

_He probably couldn't stand the pain anymore._

"BOSS, ICHIGO'S HERE," Tessai called out as they entered the store.

Ichigo saw that very little had changed. There were some new items, of course. And it looked as though Tessai was trying out a new decorating scheme, this time involving pink curtains with yellow polka dots.

"JUST SEND HIM ON BACK," Kisuke called out.

"Go right ahead. I'll get some tea."

"Natural or is it that artificial shit?" Ichigo asked and wrinkled his nose.

"Natural, of course," Tessai said, feigning offense.

Ichigo nodded. Natural tea was always the best tea.

He went to the living area that was just behind the shop. He was glad that Kisuke decided to keep the same layout as the old shop. He frowned when he saw that some of the decorations had black cats on them. Even though it was Yoruichi's handiwork, it still made him uncomfortable. He opened the sliding door that led to the dining area, noticing the dancing chibi black cats dancing on the bottom wooden frame with wide "soulless" eyes.

He saw that Kisuke was already sitting at the table. He was wearing his usual hat and clogs. His face was hidden behind the fan he held in his left hand. Ichigo knew what he was concealing. He noticed that the shopkeeper was doing a better job hiding his scarred hand with a white-and-green striped glove. He smiled as he sat down across from the exiled Captain.

"Ah, welcome back, Ichigo."

"You know you don't need to hide your face around me. If it bothers you too much you can always get it repaired."

"I know," Kisuke said and lowered the fan.

The right side of his face was completely covered in burn scars. Ichigo noticed that he tried to brush what hair could grow on the right side of his head down to conceal the hole where an ear had been. The right side of his mouth had been burned so badly scarred that he could no longer close that side of his mouth completely. As a result, he always looked as if he was sneering.

"Then why don't you get it repaired? Medicine has come a long way."

"I don't know. Miss Inoue offers to heal me whenever we meet. She says that it would only take a minute to set me right. But I still can't bring myself to accept these reasonable offers. Maybe it's just my pride or it could be that I just don't want to hurt Yoruichi by reminding her of what I used to look like."

"I'm sure Yoruichi wouldn't mind. In fact, I'm sure that she would prefer you with your old face."

"Funny, but she always tells me that the scars are a vast improvement. So, what brings you here Captain Ichigo Kurosaki?" he asked, allowing a hint of his pride for his former pupil's title show.

Before Ichigo could respond, Tessai entered with their tea. He placed the small tray before them. He picked up the pot and poured the tea into the cups. The towering Kido master glanced at each of them.

"Is there anything else you want?"

Ichigo shook his head while Urahara only muttered something that he couldn't hear, but was probably something along the lines of "nothing." Tessai gave a bow and left them.

Ichigo picked up his cup and took a small sip. He smiled at the soothing taste of natural tea, as promised.

"Now then, back to my original question: why are you here, Captain Kuchiki?"

"I need to speak to Orihime, but I don't know where she is."

Urahara kept his poker face. Ichigo knew that it was not a good sign.

"Well…that is quite a request. It's been…what a hundred years since you last saw her?"

_It couldn't have been that long,_ Ichigo thought. _Then again, when was the last time I got news about her that wasn't either from him or Chad?_

The guilt soured the tea in his mouth.

"Don't worry, Kisuke. This isn't Central 46 business. I'm looking for her as a friend…a lousy friend, but a friend."

Urahara opened his fan again, leaving his tea untouched.

"Ichigo, Orihime left me as her contact instead of her old friends for a reason. She wants distance and privacy, especially after the tragedy in North America blew her old life into pieces, literally.

"She trusts me to be the gatekeeper when it comes to her past trying to catch up. I'll need something other than lapsed friendship," the exiled Captain said coldly, if not a little cruelly.

Ichigo met his eyes. Even though he still respected the man, Ichigo was no longer the clueless rookie who had been dropped into the shattered shaft. Kisuke saw that and gave a smirk as he shut his fan.

"It's so nice to see them grow."

"This…this isn't about me, Urahara."

Kisuke's eyes narrowed. Ichigo could feel the tension build.

_Damn it. I'm really putting this badly._

"It's not about me. It's not about the Gotei. It's not about Central 46. IT'S ABOUT RUKIA!" Ichigo shouted.

The tension broke. Kisuke looked at Ichigo in surprise.

_Damn it. I meant to say that it was about Tatsuki. I really am an idiot._

"Chibi Kuchiki? I…I'm not following."

"Well…I…I popped the question. She said 'yes,'" Ichigo said.

It was the only thing he could think of. It was true, to an extent. He just didn't tell Kisuke _when _he asked her.

Kisuke looked at Ichigo in surprise. For a moment, Ichigo thought he had made a mistake. However, the thumping sound of a bottle of sake being placed on the wooden table told him otherwise. Ichigo saw Urahara grinning as he popped the cork.

"WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO? Come on, we need something stronger for the occasion. So, you're gathering the old crew to mend the bonds of friendship while getting hitched, eh?"

Kisuke lifted the bottle to his lips and drank deeply.

"You could say that."

_I can't believe it worked. Either I'm getting better at this or old "Hat-and-Clogs" is getting even more senile._

Kisuke held the bottle out to Ichigo. Saliva gleamed around the bottle's mouth. He took the bottle reluctantly and sniffed at the contents briefly.

"Well, it's not exactly tactful to invite _her_ to the wedding, but it would be rude not to. Alright, I'll do it! But for now, I need you out of the way. I have a client of the VIP variety coming and I need to get my good hat," Urahara said_._

"I take it that being a Captain doesn't mean I'm a VIP then."

The next thing Ichigo knew, he was being pushed out of the room. He didn't even have time to protest as Kisuke shoved him out of the room with one hand while the other held the fan over his mouth.

"Titles don't make men important. Men make titles important. Now, run along, Little Ichigo."

He turned to ask Kisuke what the deal and only faced a closed door.

_Did he just insult me?_

He sighed and looked at the bottle. He wiped the lip clean as best he could and took one drink from the bottle so as not to be rude and set it on one of the shelves. He hoped that a responsible adult, namely Tessai, would find it before Yura did. But then again, Kisuke probably had the Karmic retribution of a tipsy Yura coming anyway.

_Well, I better get out of "Hat-and-Clogs'" hair for a while._

He knew that he could leave, but he wasn't anxious to go through the city that seemed to mock his halcyon days.

_I could see the underground training facility. He's probably put in some upgrades. If not, I could do some training. Yeah, I'll do that. It'll help pass the time._

He knew which way to go. As he walked down the hall, he felt as though he was coming home.

He came to the trap door and pulled on the iron ring. When he got it opened he looked down the ladder and smiled. He remembered all of the times he had to climb up and down the damn thing. He sighed as he put one leg over the edge and searched for a rung. He held on to the wooden bench as he hoisted himself over to begin the descent. This was one case where change would be welcomed; so, naturally, Kisuke left it just the way it always was.

His descent was as it had always been: one rung at a time. Memories came to him unbidden but not unwelcomed. He remembered how Urahara helped him to regain his Soul Reaper abilities after Byakuya took the first ones away. He remembered how his Inner Hollow awakened for the first time as a result of that act. Those memories brought a shiver down his spine. If he had known what that awakening would have led to, he might have never gone through with it. But then again, he wouldn't have been able to save Rukia without that ordeal.

_Power is nothing but a double-edged sword,_ he thought. _It can help you achieve your goals and it can hurt you and the ones you hold dear. And once you have it you seem to have very little, or perhaps you don't have any control over it._

When Ichigo reached the bottom he looked around. The place was as it had been the last time he saw it. When he looked up, he realized that he could not see any of the damage in the false sky that Aizen dealt on it when he destroyed the shop and battled Tessai and Urahara.

_Tessai and the others must have had quite a time repairing it. But then again, hard work is a good way to come to terms with tragedy._

He tried to think of what he could do first but then something caught his undivided attention. He turned and looked in surprise at the familiar area between two cliffs with wooden beams protruding from them. He looked directly into the gaping black mouth hanging in the air.

"What the…? That's…that's a…" he stuttered as he looked into the Garganta.

He reached for his Zanpakuto as Arrancar Reiatsu poured out.

"Itsygo?" a female voice called out from the darkness.

Ichigo froze. His eyes became wide. There was only one person who said his name like that.

"ITSYGO!" Nel shouted and jumped out of the darkness and landed on him. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Y-yeah, it's…it's good to see you too Nel."

Ichigo blushed at the feel of her body against him. He tried to focus away from the weight of her breasts pressing against him. And her hips were pressing against his crotch.

_Yeah, this isn't awkward at all._

"Uh…would you please get off me before you start squeezing me to death?" he asked as she was starting to squeeze him in her death grip hug.

"Oh…sorry," Nel said and let go.

She smiled and calmed herself down. Ichigo felt his stomach stir at the more mature and serene look she took on. He couldn't help but return her smile.

"It's good to see you," she continued. "It's been a while."

"It's only been about…140 years."

Ichigo found himself surprised at the number of years it had been since they last saw each other. And from the way that Nel's eyes widened, she was just as surprised.

"Has it really been that long?"

"Yeah, yeah it has," he said a bit more firmly than he wanted.

Nel looked at Ichigo and sighed. She understood the hidden implication.

"I suppose it has been that long. I'm sorry. It's just that with your Central 46 shutting down the Ambassador's Compound in the Seireitei, and…" she trailed off.

"If I recall, you closed down your Ambassador's Compound in Las Noches."

"No, no, I remember that the Seireitei closed down the Ambassador's Compound first. We closed ours in retaliation."

"Are you sure that it was just in retaliation?"

"Yes. It was politics." Nel quickly shifted her eyes away from him. "Please, let's not get into this debate again."

"What's there to debate? I mean we were…you know…Ambassadors for our teams."

"We were more than just Ambassadors."

"Yeah…we were," Ichigo said and looked away.

"Are you ashamed?" she asked softly.

"Only because I never told Rukia," he admitted.

"That's right. How is Rukia these days?" she asked, forcing a smile.

"She's…great. We're going to get married soon," he replied with his own false smile.

Nel looked at him, stunned. She smiled slightly as what he said sunk in.

"I suppose I should say something like 'Congratulations,'" she said calmly as she wiped at one cheek. "I suppose if I was a Soul Reaper, I would be jealous or angry or…or hurt by this. However, I'm an Arrancar. We have our own views about sex and we don't exactly 'get married,' although some do mate for life. I suppose all I can do is hope that you two will be happy."

"Well, I'm…uh…I don't really know what to say to that Nel."

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't know how Nel would react. Actually, he hadn't really thought that much about her for a while and so the thought of telling Nel had never crossed his mind.

"Then don't say anything. Look, I…"

"What we had was…a mistake. So don't even ask. The last thing I want is to hurt Rukia more."

"You don't seem to realize that you're still hurting Rukia by not telling her about us. Do you think that she's not thinking about the times you stayed longer on your Ambassador visits? She's probably thinking about whether or not we were…"

"She wouldn't have said 'Yes' if she was. Look, what we had was fun, but that's all it was."

Nel smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Fun but not intimate, is that about right?"

"Yeah, that's right. So…why are you here?" Ichigo asked in order to change the subject.

"I suppose I should ask you the same question. But you'll probably only tell me that it was to get the word out to your friends about you and Rukia."

"And you would probably tell me that it was just to see if you received any messages to relay back to Starrk and Harribel."

Nel looked at him and sighed.

"I suppose, in some way, we would know that the other was lying." She reached out and grabbed his arm. Ichigo looked at her and saw that her eyes were filled with sorrow and loneliness. "I've missed you."

"Nel," he whispered.

He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know what he was thinking about. Seeing Nel brought back many of the old feelings. The times they spent with each other had been fun, but it seemed as though a different Nel was standing before him.

_She's feeling what I'm feeling. We both have things that we can't tell each other._

"Nel, I…"

He didn't want to hurt her. However, if she wanted what he thought…

"I thought I told you 'only one sip,'" Urahara snapped.

They turned and saw Kisuke coming towards them. He was holding Yura in his arms. The girl was fast asleep and cradling the sake bottle that Ichigo had left on a shelf. For some reason the area around Kisuke's left eye was black and blue and starting to swell.

"Is she alright?" Ichigo asked.

"Huh…oh…yeah, she's just asleep…well…actually she's a little tipsy," Kisuke said, irritation slipping away. "Although, shouldn't you be asking me that? I'm the one with the black eye. Oh…you're early," he said when he noticed Nel. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Oh…not at all, I only got here a couple of minutes ago. I was just catching up on old times with Itsygo. He told me that he and Rukia are getting married."

"I KNOW!" Kisuke shouted with excitement. "It's wonderful news. Anyways, he wants to spread the news to the rest of his pals. I would suggest that he starts with Chad in Mexico."

"Damn it, Kisuke. I wanted to tell Orihime first. So why don't you just tell me where she is already?"

"Come on. When have I ever given you a straight answer?" Urahara chuckled.

"Tch…you'll never change." Ichigo shook his head and turned his attention back to Nel. "Nel, we can finish our conversation later. Uh…how long do you think you will be here?"

"Not long. However, I'll come back in about three days or so." She leaned a bit closer and whispered, "Don't forget your dancing shoes. I could use some fun."

Ichigo's face went a little red. He began to stammer as he searched for what he wanted to say. Kisuke began to chuckle a little.

"Are you joking?" he asked frantically. "I'm getting married."

"I didn't mean that kind of fun. I just meant some time with a friend. I…I could use a friend."

Ichigo looked at her. He didn't understand what she meant. He saw that he wasn't looking at her.

"What about Pesche and Dondochakka? Aren't they your friends?"

Nel didn't say anything. He could tell that she was struggling with something. However, she got over whatever it was and looked at Ichigo.

"They're my fraccion," she said simply.

_**Kisuke Urahara**_

He watched Ichigo climb up the ladder, grumbling under his breath. Nel was close behind and, judging from the grin on her face, she was enjoying the view. She had offered to go up first, offering a pleasant view of her own ass. Ichigo, ever the ungrateful prude, had politely refused.

_Ah, youngsters, they're always entertaining._

The thudding noise of the trapdoor slamming shut told him that he was alone. He lowered his hat, darkening his eyes under its shadow. He frowned. He could tell that Ichigo wasn't lying. He saw the truth about him and Rukia on his former pupil's face. He had sent Ichigo out of the room in order to give him some time to think about whether or not to send him to Chad.

But he hadn't survived so long by being stupid. He was not as blind and deaf about matters in the Soul Society as Ichigo thought. His informers kept him reasonably informed and very well-informed in certain areas.

And they had not seen any trace of Rukia in the Soul Society over the past couple of years. He knew that Ichigo hated politics, and yet he had played the political game with him. That was not like him. And if one included Rukia's apparent disappearance…

_Something's going on._

He began to make his ascent. He knew that Nel would be waiting in the living area to discuss whatever she came to discuss and he had a feeling that it wasn't about the latest hat fashions.

He sighed. He had hoped that he would be able to stay out of Seireitei politics, but it seemed as though he would have to at least find out what was going on. His contacts would take care of that, or at least as much as they could, but he knew that he would need help on this.

_Maybe it's time that I call Shinji._

_**Hueco Mundo, The Shrine**_

"Where are you running off to?" Apacci asked.

Chad looked around and saw Apacci sitting upright, straightening her veil to conceal her lower face.

"I have to get going. But I'll come back when I have the chance," he replied as he pulled on his shirt.

"Just don't forget to bring some fruit with you next time."

Chad put on his hoodie and gave a slight chuckle. He went over to her and stroked her soft hair.

"What if I forget?"

"Then I'll probably have to eat you. After all, your lips taste a little like mango and your 'sugar cane'…" she licked her lips.

"Did you have to put it that way?"

Chad could feel heat rising. Apacci gave a little chuckle at his embarrassment.

"Aw, did I make my pet tiger blush?" she teased leaning forward to poke his chin with the horn on her mask fragment.

"You really are cruel," he whispered.

He brushed the horn aside and kissed her on the forehead.

"I know," she said getting off the bed. "Now, I need to get ready. It's almost time for the Prayers. Plus, there's a new group of Novice Acolytes that I need to see to and there are some pilgrims ready to be initiated into the Creed. I'm sure you know the way out."

Chad finished getting dressed. As he was tying his boots he watched as she started to rewrap the long, thick strips of cloth around her torso.

"I can help with that," he offered.

"I think I can manage. You better get going."

She waved him out with a handful of red cloth. Chad nodded and made his way to the tapestry that concealed the entrance. He had left the Acolyte quarters for the main ceremonial areas when he stopped. He suppressed more of his Reiatsu and snuck down the hallway to peer around a corner. He could feel the spiritual energy coming from a group of pilgrims being led by two of the Silver Acolytes, named for the silver chains that held their veils in place, for their first Prayers as official believers in the Creed.

There was a vaguely familiar spiritual energy coming from the group. They were most likely Triples by the way their apparent leader looked. He looked at them and thought of following them. Then he shrugged off the idea. It would not do to be found sneaking around.

_It's just your imagination,_ he thought as he returned to his own route.

He sighed as he made his way cautiously to the secret door to the outside. He left The Shrine for the desert. From there, he could return to the sunlit lands of the World of the Living.

_**Mexico**_

Ichigo was beginning to understand more-and-more why spirits preferred the older parts of town for their haunts. The march of History sometimes seemed mocking with the rapidity it moved in the World of the Living.

The last time he had visited the new focal point, replacing the destroyed Karakura Town, it had been a prosperous town in southern Mexico. Unlike his old thoughts of a dusty, run-down place, like in a Western film, it was a green land against highlands. The town had a mixed population of native Mexicans and American refugees; a disproportionate number of them were spiritually aware.

Both the groups of refugee descendants and the old townies were being shoved aside as the town boomed into a small city. New money, new business, and new people streamed into the town, a blessing and a curse for the town chosen to be the spiritual focal point. The west side remained true to the older roots. There were the petty divides between the various groups of inhabitants, but they had declared peace with each other since the bad old days when the streets flowed with blood.

He gladly put the lights and fast pace of New Town behind him for the slower pace of Old Town. He noticed that people could actually see him here. However, it was not a majority, but along the lines of one in every twenty he passed. There was an old woman who looked as though she belonged on a post card. She was sitting on her porch when she saw him and bowed her head slightly in respect. There was a young man with a shaved head and a pentagram tattoo who emerged from an alley to look him over. When his curiosity was satisfied, he sank back into the shadows, but began to tail him.

_Doesn't he know that his Reiatsu is way too obvious? He should really take lessons from Sui-Feng if he wants to trail a Captain without them even noticing._

There were others. Most took a look at him and continued on their way, looking relieved or troubled. Some of these wore jackets with a rose on the back. He saw graffiti showing a red rose with a golden center on various walls. His tail continued to follow until Ichigo reached his destination. The young man then turned around and made his way back the way he came.

Ichigo looked at the Taberna de la Rosa. He always imagined it as some kind of typical, slightly run-down, Mexican watering hole. Then again, Ichigo had no idea what a typical Mexican watering hole was supposed to look like. The place looked clean and in relatively good shape and looked like most of the other buildings around it. He knew that Chad wasn't trying to attract attention. An old-fashioned neon sign glowed next to the door showing the name surrounding a rose, much like those he saw on the jackets and walls. He knew that Chad also used this place as a training facility for his students.

He pulled the door open and felt the spiritual pressure increase suddenly. He could feel his legs starting to wobble and a wave of nausea come upon him. Fortunately, he knew how to adjust and only had to pause and prop himself against the door frame and count in his head until his body had readjusted. Each time he did this, the count had decreased until now it only took him to the count of four in order to handle it.

When he got his body to adjust to the large amounts of Reiatsu, he looked around.

It was a very pleasant place. The smell of cooking meat and onions and peppers drifted from the kitchen and mingled with the smell of the sharp tang of alcohol. It had the feel of a place that honored the past. Photos, most likely taken by Chad, of the town as it must have appeared when Chad first moved here and old advertisement posters for various brands of alcohol and food decorated the wall.

"It may not be fine dining, but it smells like good dining and there's plenty of booze. I like it."

"Well, I don't like your fashion sense," someone drawled.

Ichigo turned and saw a man leaning against the wall near the door. His darker skin showed him most likely to be American-Mexican. His accent was a blend of Deep South and Mexican. His sleeveless shirt showed off well-muscled arms, a red rose tattooed on the right bicep. His stance indicated a good bit of training.

_His students are bouncers? Man, talk about overkill._

Ichigo gave a small smile, which only seemed to piss off the guy even more.

"Forget it Rick. This guy's off the charts and he's wearing the white. Plus he has orange hair," an irritated woman said.

Ichigo turned and saw that the bartender was leaning over the bar counter. He tried to control his composure. She was a Goth. She was tastefully and strangely dressed in a black, Lolita dress with a low-cut neckline that showed off a bit of cleavage and the usual trappings. However, what got his attention was her spiritual pressure. Most of these people felt like they had Quincy or Soul Reaper spiritual pressure mixed with the regular human spiritual pressure. However, the bartender's felt more like a Hollow's.

"The boss said you people can wait in the training closet unless you're gonna buy something," the bartender deadpanned.

He nodded, but he was still unnerved by her spiritual pressure.

_Has she developed an Inner Hollow?_

She rolled her eyes at him, probably misinterpreting his expression or something, and threw the wash rag onto the counter. She came out from behind the counter and gestured for him to follow. Two doors and a short hallway later they were in a custodian closet. She moved a janitor's bucket and mop and a large package of toilet paper rolls aside to reveal a trapped door. She pulled the trap door and Ichigo felt his heart sink.

"Oh…no…no way," he moaned as he looked at the ladder leading downward.

"I know. The boss only says he knows a guy whenever we ask him," she said as she stepped onto the ladder.

Ichigo waited a bit longer at the opening.

_Damn you, Kisuke. Why couldn't you just use stairs or…I don't know…an elevator for people to get to the training ground? Do you have some kind of vendetta we don't know about?_

Ichigo sighed. Kisuke probably liked to subject people to annoying ladders for his personal amusement. However, he knew that the sooner he began, the sooner he would get to the bottom. There was only one time he tried to skip the ladder by jumping down while in his Soul Reaper state. He never tried it again.

It was also a good thing that no one had been around to see.

He was not surprised that Kisuke had used the same design for this underground training facility. However, this one included cacti and the occasional tumbleweed, and it was more rugged.

_What is with Kisuke and deserts?_

"Hey! Are ya coming or not?" the bartender called up to him.

"Oh…sorry," he called down and resumed his descent.

"Whatever," she dismissed.

Ichigo jumped down with about two meters to spare. She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed, and turned away from him.

She led him through the dusty training ground until they reached a clearing in the rocks. There was a patio with couches and tables. He knew that this was some kind of resting area and there was only one person in the area at the moment. Ichigo smiled a little when he saw Chad sitting on one of the couches with a mug of steaming coffee in one hand.

"Sir, you have a guest," the Lolita said as she gave a slight bow, giving a respectful tone for the first time.

That, more than Chad's mark littering the town, showed how far he had come.

"Oh…thank you, Ophelia," Chad said as he set the mug on the table in front of him. "Please get him some…" He stopped when he saw Ichigo. Surprise flashed across his face for a moment and then he regained his composure, "…some tea."

"Right away, sir," she said and turned to leave.

Ichigo noticed that there was a tattoo on the back of her neck. He couldn't see much of it since her hair covered most of it, but he thought that it was another rose. He turned his attention back to Chad and smiled as he took a seat across the table.

"Hey, Chad, it's been a while."

"Yeah…what are you doing here, Ichigo?"

"Well, Kisuke sent me."

"I see. How is he?"

"He's…about the same. How are you doing?" he asked lamely.

"Busy. As you can see, I've become sort of like the Urahara of this place."

"Yeah, I suppose you have. But unlike the other Urahara, you're actually doing business."

"Ichigo…you still haven't answered my question."

"Oh…right…well…the thing is that…" Ichigo found himself straining to find the right words.

They were interrupted when Ophelia came from behind one of the boulders, carrying a tray with a cup of tea on it. She set the cup on the table in front of Ichigo, giving him a good view of her bosom. She saw that he was looking and her eyes narrowed as her Reiatsu spiked in annoyance.

"My eyes are up here," she said and gestured to her brown eyes with two fingers.

"Sorry," Ichigo coughed and looked to the side.

"Tch…I bet you're not. Is there anything else, Master Sado?" she asked.

Ichigo found the speed that she was able to shift from a growling tigress ready to bite his head off to a proper young lady slightly alarming.

"There is one thing. Would you please make sure that no one disturbs us? I think that I should talk to my guest in private."

"Alright, sir, I'll make sure that no one comes down."

"Thanks."

Ophelia bowed and turned to walk away. Ichigo watched her, frowning. He was completely sure that she was definitely producing Hollow Reiatsu. That troubled him. He could feel that Chad's eyes were on and so he turned to face his old friend.

"So, why did you come to see me, Ichigo?"

"Well, it's something of a social call, if you can believe it."

Ichigo smiled at Chad and was not surprised to see that he only looked as expressionless as usual.

"Sorry, but I can't really believe that. You only think to visit when Rukia is involved."

Ichigo's eye started twitching.

_Why is he thinking that my visit is more like a visit from the tax man? I mean…sure…I'm not exactly being honest with him. But why do they assume that I have ulterior motives?_

"Well…okay, you got me. I wanted to talk to Orihime first, but Kisuke sent me here. No offense."

"None taken," Chad said as he took a sip of coffee. "Don't be mad at him for sending you here first. He doesn't know where she is."

"WHAT?" Ichigo cried out. "But…but…but…everyone knows that he's Orihime's contact."

"Yeah."

Ichigo stared at his old friend for a moment. Then he understood. He glared off to the side.

"That bastard thinks he's so clever."

"That's only because he is." Chad took another sip from his mug and looked at Ichigo. "Why are you suddenly interested in visiting Orihime? You're not the type to intrude on a whim."

"You seem to have forgotten some things from the past."

"I haven't. I said that last part as an attempt at a joke. However, that does not mean that the question was intended as a joke."

Ichigo sighed.

"No, I guess it doesn't. Well, it is about Rukia. We're engaged."

Chad looked at him in surprise that lasted for only about two seconds. The two sat in silence for a while. Ichigo began to feel a little uncomfortable.

"So…aren't you going to say anything?"

"It only makes sense. After Orihime left, Rukia was the only likely candidate. Congratulations."

"And here I was about ready to ask you to be my best man."

"I could host the party down here. But, you'll have to pay the rental fee."

"Agh, we can talk about that later. Won't you please tell me where Orihime is?"

Chad sat in silent contemplation. He looked at Ichigo and sighed.

"Ichigo, I know that something happened in Karakura Town that day. I was in the Soul Society fighting the Captains with Captain-Commander Yamamoto. It…pushed me into places that I wished I never had to go. You've never pressed me on that, and I'm grateful for that. So, it goes without saying that I respect the silence between you three on what happened when Karakura Town burned.

"But I know that it tore something in Orihime. The Downfall ripped those scars open again. I don't know what happened or why it had the effects that it did, but I do know something of the pain that you three must have endured. So, I'll tell you. But only because you were there with her that day and you wouldn't be asking unless you thought it was worth it. I…I just hope that I'm doing the right thing."

Chad swallowed hard. Ichigo saw his free hand curl into a fist that he brought up to his chest. He found it odd and disturbing seeing his friend displaying such passion.

"She's in Denver. The place is called the Sacred Grotto. The directions are in the envelope."

He took out a thin envelope from his pocket and handed it to Ichigo.

_Kisuke told him I was coming. But, did he decide before before-hand that he would tell me or did he decide to just now?_

"Thanks man," Ichigo said and put a hand on his friend's knee. "And, I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for. I know you. If you could have given your life to stop it, you would have."

Ichigo nodded as he drained his cup.

"Well, I better head out."

"Sure thing, but please stop by when you can. I would like for you to meet some of my other students and share a drink too."

"I'd like that."

"There's…one more thing before you go."

"What is it?"

"Orihime, she's…she's not the same."

"I figured as much. After all that she's been through…how could she be the same?"

Chad shook his head and sighed.

"You'll see when you see her."

"Well, whatever you say, Chad."

Ichigo got to his feet and turned to walk away. However, he stopped a few paces as something entered his mind. He turned and looked at the bearded giant.

"One more question. You're still alive and you haven't aged past your prime." Chad looked confused at Ichigo's obvious statement. "How do people in town not notice?"

"They notice, but it hasn't been a problem. I think they remember to forget, except for the ones who don't."

Ichigo looked at Chad. He was certain that he was on the receiving end of some joke. But if he was, he couldn't see it. Finally he threw up a hand as though in surrender before making his exit.

Chad smiled as he watched him go. He wondered if Ichigo would become more like his dad as soon as children entered the equation. They would probably turn his training ground into a playground away from home. He found the thought to be rather pleasant and smiled.

_**Hueco Mundo**_

The endless night was filled with the thunder of beating drums and the roars of chanting echoing over the sands.

A Hollow lifted its head from sniffing the sands and looked in the direction of the discord. However, none of the inhabitants of the walled city that rested at the base of one of the great mountains of Hueco Mundo were coming forth. Understanding that it was in no danger, the Hollow went back to seeking prey in the dunes.

In the city, a masked lizard about the size of a terrier skittered on top of the 30-foot tall wall of sandstone rocks that encircled the city. It stopped as it came to the sole entryway that broke the protective barrier. It paused and then began to ascend the magnificent stone sculpture that was on top of its side of the Panther's Gate, rising another 12 feet into the sky.

The sculptures that were on either side of each other on top of the wall at the Panther's Gate were of two stone panthers facing each other in combat. Stone claws scratched at each other and fang-filled mouths opened in silent roars. However, the roars were no longer silent for they had been given life with the roars of the occupants.

The main street ran in a straight line to a wide plaza that divided the city from the base of the mountain. The Arrancars, dressed in the hides of dead Hollows or clothing taken as loot long ago or baring their bodies adorned only by painted patterns and tattoos, reveled about the pit that was at the foot of a sandstone dais on which stood a great quartz statue of a panther roaring at the night sky in defiance.

At the foot of the pedestal, strapped to a frame of stone, was a completely nude female. She was large and was unable to move because of the overwhelming girth that hid her legs from sight. She languished before a steep slope that led down to the pit's sandy floor, her belly almost reaching the edge. The spawn within could be seen moving around inside like a great host of parasites straining against her Hierro. She howled in a combination of pain and defiance of that pain. Her eyes were wide and unseeing. Her mind was numb as life churned violently within her, near to overflowing.

"THE GREAT PANTHER ROARS!" the drummers chanted from their platforms above the crowd.

Male and female, they wore a white kilt and nothing else. Their skins glistened with sweat from the hours they spent beating the drums and shouting their prayers.

"RISE UP WARRIORS OF THE TRUE KING! RISE UP WARRIORS OF THE PANTHER KING! LET THE BROOD BE STRONG! LET THE BROOD BE STRONG! ARISE FOR THE ROARING PANTHER! THE PANTHER SHALL MOUNT THE WORLD!"

The other Arrancars were in an unrestrained frenzy. They were responding to the ever more feverish beat of the drums. They roared and they chanted along. Feet stomped the ground as they danced in joy, drunk on the primal Reiatsu filling the night sky with songs of passionate orgies mixed with the Breeder's howls.

Fights broke out among the crowd, sending them into further fits of ecstasy. Many in the crowd were now naked, completely unashamed at showing their sex and painted forms. Men grabbed women. Women grabbed men. Members of the same sex grabbed each other. They fought, they fucked, and sometimes they did both at the same time. No objections were raised in the revelry. Anything was permitted among the Panterans, the People of the Panther, during a birth.

Only the lowest of the low, the Thralls, were not permitted to take part in the celebrations. Instead they waited for the Birthing to occur. They hovered fearfully at the periphery. Some stood by bronze basins filled with hot embers and the irons that were ready for those that would be condemned to wear the same brand that they wore on their foreheads. For those of the brood that were the strongest, they would be raised to become the Panther's Warriors.

A feral female pulled a Thrall from the edges into a passionate embrace. The other Thralls muttered prayers as his Reiatsu was overwhelmed and the weak Hierro rendered as much by accident as by design as she sought to love and fight him in tandem. She rejoined the throng carrying the dying Thrall, either uncaring or oblivious to her actions.

Watching over this festivity of birth, the Steward watched from his place near the base of the mountain and across from the Breeder. The great stairs that led to the Panther's Den near the mountain's peak were directly behind his seat of power. Gotran Solanssen's dark grey eyes watched as his wards enjoyed themselves. All was as it should be, but enough time had passed. He raised a hand and shot a brilliant turquoise Bala into the night sky and increased his Reiatsu output to hum through the air.

It was enough to get the other Panterans' attention.

He rose from his seat and walked to the edge of the drop that led to the pit's floor.

"CHILDREN OF THE PANTHER," he shouted. "REJOICE! A NEW BROOD SHALL COME AMONG US AS A GIFT FROM THE PANTHER KING UNTIL HE COMES AGAIN!"

"WE WAIT AND WE WATCH!" many cried out while others still fought and fornicated.

"IT IS LAW FOR THE BROOD'S FIRST MEAL TO BE THE FLESH OF A THANE AND FOR A THANE TO CUT THEM FREE!"

"WHO SHALL HAVE THESE HONORS?" the crowd demanded.

The Steward signaled with a hand and two of the male Panteran Warriors came forward to stand flanking his throne. Their naked bodies were painted with blue paint made from crushed minerals mixed with Hollow blood. They had similar ceremonial knives that were made from the fangs of a dead Hollow with strips of hide wrapped around the lower end to serve as a grip. Like all Panterans, they wore a medallion that was hung from their necks by a leather cord with the likeness of their True King on it.

Their eyes were clearer than those below. Lust was absent except for the fires of blood-lust. They glanced at their opponents as they passed the Steward and stood on the rim.

They were followed by two females, also naked except for the painted markings on their bodies. They carried their swords with reverence. They knelt behind their respective warrior. The Steward turned and grabbed the hilts of both swords. He turned to face the crowd, many of whom were now descending the steps on either side that led to the pit's floor. He raised both swords into the sky.

"THESE BRAVE THANES SHALL HAVE THE HONORS! FROM DEATH COMES LIFE! FROM THE VANQUISHED THE GLORIOUS RISE!"

"THE GLORIOUS RISE!" the Panterans shouted.

The two warriors raised their knives in a salute. They then leaped from the dais to the sandy surface about 18 below the street level and 36 feet below the dais. The Steward held both swords over the edge with the blades down and dropped them. The two blades stuck upright in the sand, the hilts quivered slightly before remaining still. The signal for the fight to begin had been given.

The two fighters stood across from each other. There was silence for a second and then they roared as they charged at each other. Steel clashed against steel. The warriors roared as they came in and out of Sonído. Sparks flew as the high-speed strikes met. They flashed in and out of sight. Fury contorted their features. Fists struck flesh as blades locked. The warriors bit into each other, drawing blood despite their Hierro skin. The crowd degenerated into wordless cheers.

Their swords remained planted in the ground at the base of the platform where the Steward sat, beckoning with their power for their masters to use them. However, it was forbidden. This was not a test of skill or power. It was a test of the Panteran savage will. It was brutal, savage, ugly, and a dictated tradition believed to help strengthen the brood and please the True King.

The stalemate ended in a single moment. One warrior grabbed hold of the other's knife arm and snapped it. The breaker roared in triumph and his supporters roared their approval. The other warrior roared back in defiance as he broke free and his supporters roared their defiance in return. The breaker rushed forward, knife prepared to plunge into the other's chest. However, the other grabbed the wrist and in a single motion, with his broken arm, swiped the knife's sharpened edge across his adversary's throat. The Hierro parted like paper and blood gushed forth.

The victor stepped back, baring his teeth. The victim stumbled and yet managed to strengthen. He even raised his blade level as though defying death itself. Eyes glinting with approval, the victor struck again. He severed the head from the neck in a smooth motion. His opponent had died on his feet with honor like a true Panteran Warrior. With his broken arm, the victor grabbed the head before it hit the ground. He roared as he raised it, offering the blood, the victory, and his own pain to Pantera. The crowd roared its approval. The roars climaxed as the drumbeats accelerated in an indiscernible fluxing note.

Gotran Solanssen threw back his head as he bit on his tongue to drink the blood. A Gran Rey Cero split the dark heavens with blue majesty. All was silent except for the exerted panting that quickly died down. All eyes fell on the victor below.

He allowed the head to drop. The moment had passed and it was no longer worthy of respect. Sand crunched under his heavy footsteps as he approached the swords. His opponent's came first, the power leaving it as it knew that its master was dead. It was now no more than a mere trophy. He drew his own sword and raised it and roared with pride. He had won without it, but now he was whole again.

He went into Sonído and appeared standing before the Breeder, whose moans broke the silence. He extended two fingers from the hilt of his sword and he stroked the sweat-covered blazing skin. He could feel the creatures inside hasten their convulsions at his power. His fingers traced the swelling belly, following the brood's flow, until he found what he was searching for. The focal point was just above the navel. He stood up and closed his hand around the hilt again. He raised the blade high. His eyes were alight with a fierce glow, but he remained silent. In one swift and fluid motion, he cut the Breeder's pregnant belly at the focal point.

They came out in an instant. The small cut became a great gash as the large number in the brood burst forth. A great mass of black flecked with white burst forth spewed forth causing the Breeder to scream in pain, relief, and ecstasy that was lost in the high-pitched squealing sounds the brood made as they plunged down the slope and onto the sands below. Even then, some would never reach the bottom as they were devoured by their siblings. They burst outward when they reached the sands only to be hemmed in by the 3-foot drop that separated the arena floor from the steps that the Panterans stood on as they watched in reverence.

By this time, the surviving spawn had each become as large as a garter snake. Red eyes glared out of the white masks on their heads. The high-pitched cries filled the night. They were tearing into each other with needle teeth. They devoured as they themselves were being devoured. Some stopped their slaughter for the privilege to survive as they swarmed the fallen warrior's corpse. But that lump was soon gone as every scrap was claimed by a screaming belly.

Before the assembly's eyes, the spawn swelled with each bite of flesh they devoured. Soon the bloodied sands could be seen again as gaps between the fighting spawn opened. Eventually, clear clumps of life and death could be seen.

The spawn were nearly the size of seals now. They were now fighting in pairs, each circling the other, and snapping their fang-filled mouths. Then the first flare began. One of these fighters suddenly stopped, Reiatsu flared up from it as it cried out in a high wail. Its opponent stared at it and then the same thing happened to it. Eventually, all of the 18 remaining spawn were shrieking as Reiatsu flared from them. The masks began to crack and the black bodies began to ripple. The rest happened quickly.

The masks exploded, the dust twisting around the spawn as though trying to reconnect with them, but failing. Hands and feet, covered in blood, burst from the black bodies. The Reiatsu flares combined with the spiraling bone dust and the pools of blood. There was a larger flare as the process was complete. When things settled, 18 human-like figures were on the sands and next to each one, some kind of weapon that housed their Resurrección.

The spawn had become Arrancars.

They lay on the blood-drenched sand, wearing bits of the black hide to hide their blood-soaked bodies. Meek manes of every color covered their heads and they each had mask fragments of all shapes. To humans they would look no more than eight years of age. A door at the base of the slope opened, revealing the Breeder and the sire of this brood. The loose flesh had been ripped away and the new Hierro shone with moisture, taut against her cleansed body. She wore a pristine white cloak on her shoulders that were thrown back to allow her newly enhanced body to be displayed. Her hair hung limp and strands were plastered to her face with sweat. Her face showed exhaustion even through the determination.

Solanssen stood and bowed his head to her. All of the other Panterans gathered fell to one knee. Hierarchy was altered in the face of the great boon she had given Pantera. Her mate held back as she stepped onto the sands. Her eyes scanned the remaining fruits of her womb. She paused by one bleary-eyed offspring only to swiftly move on. She paused at another who was weakly chewing at the discarded hide. However, her attention soon went to a crimson-haired male who was trying to rise to his hands and knees.

In a moment she was standing beside him, studying this one with great intensity. He looked up with purple eyes. She smiled and reached down. With one hand, she picked up the boy's Zanpakuto and tucked it carefully into a loop cut in the cloak. Then she lifted the boy into her trembling, but strong arms. Head cushioned against one breast, the boy's eyes fluttered shut. With a twist of her shoulders, the cloak fell forward. She turned back the way she had come, body and son concealed by a shroud of white.

The sire came next and he swiftly headed towards an orange-haired girl who was chewing on the black hide. He tucked the girl's Zanpakuto into his belt and lifted her up. Her tender teeth bit down on his hand and she let out a yelp of surprise at the hard Hierro. He laughed and held her close as he followed the Breeder.

The Steward raised his hand and a small crowd stepped down the steps and into the arena with a silent grace. This was quicker, more frantic but not violent. Violence was not permitted for this moment. The crowd looked at the remaining 16 children, deciding on which one to choose. When it was done, only four of the children remained. They glanced around, not understanding why they were left behind.

"14 THANES! 14 THANES!" Solanssen cried out.

The crowd roared in approval and took up the chant of "14 Thanes." Balas streaked into the sky. It was an exceptional brood. More than half of the spawn had been chosen. The drums were beat in a final rhythmic thunder before falling silent. The more exhausted Arrancars made their way back to their homes, some supporting others and a few were even carried.

The parents would be off to the Bonding Rituals, but that was private and intimate. For the rest of the Thanes and nobles there remained only senseless revelry before routine would reassert itself at the great horn's sounding.

The Steward remained and watched as the Thralls descended to the arena floor. It was always the eldest with the brands and coals, not a law but a tradition he had established since he had seized the title. He looked at the four remaining children. They would soon know what fate awaited them.

The Thralls gathered up the four weaklings and brought them to the elders. Solanssen closed his eyes, drinking in the sounds of the children screaming in pain as the brands of the Fe rune touched their brows. He wondered what sound they would make when they learned what that mark meant.

He wondered if they would weep with sorrow when they found out that they were not Panterans. As soon as the Fe rune was branded on their heads they were marked as property for their betters. They were marked to show that they were only fit for the least of tasks or to serve at the amusement of their superiors.

An elder Thrall, either shaking from his load or from the Steward's roused state, fell to his knees before him. The Thrall laid out the children's swords before him and scampered away. Solanssen looked at the four blades before him and smiled. The four weakling children would never touch them.

At the sound of the great horn, the 14 new Thanes would receive their weapons as well as their names from their parents. But these wretches did not need or deserve either. The weapons that were made from their shattered masks, their Reiatsu, and their blood would be stored until they died. Then, the useless metal would be melted down and turned into something useful.

He tucked the four swords under his arm and grabbed a young, pretty Thrall with messily shorn golden hair who was scrubbing blood off one of the arena's walls. He would indulge himself for a while and used his Sonído to go someplace more private with his little toy.

The moon shone down on the city of Pantera and Hollows howled in the desert.

_**Department of Research and Development**_

Tatsuki shook her head as Hanataro was sent flying across the room, again. His Gigai's Hierro kept him from getting hurt too badly.

"Tch…it's a good thing that you're not expected to do any fighting," Ikkaku said as he shouldered the quarterstaff he was practicing with.

The sad thing was that she could tell that the bald man had been holding back.

"I know," Hanataro muttered.

He rubbed at his mask, which was like an eye socket situated around his left eye and extending up to cover the lower quarter of his brow.

Tatsuki could see that Hanataro was trying to make an effort. Unfortunately, people like Hanataro were not made for fighting. That was why had been sent to the Fourth where the areas he was talented in could be cultivated. It was just one of those things that she had very little control over. She tried not to look down on the Fourth. After all, one doesn't try to hammer nails with a wrench. And they couldn't help it that they were wrenches.

"Alright," Tatsuki sighed. "Go on break. Hanataro, I want you to get something to eat. You look like you need it."

"Y-yes Lieutenant Arisawa," Hanataro stammered and gave a bow.

He winced a little and rotated his shoulder, trying to work out what the problem was. A pale finger jabbed the region in quick succession. Hanataro gave a cry and stumbled away from the contact as Nemu straightened up.

"Better?" she asked.

He blinked in confusion before looking at his arm in surprise. Apparently her little jabs did the trick. He stammered his thanks.

"Hanataro, since your arm's better, go down to the archery range and work on your speed after you've finished eating. You're still too slow. Ikkaku, how does the quarterstaff feel?"

"It feels alright, but I don't know why I have to learn it when I have my Zanpakuto."

"Nemu's storage unit will allow us to take our Zanpakuto, but we will mostly be using imitations like the last expedition had.

"Besides, we know next to nothing about Arrancar ways. It might be expected for us to participate in some kind of ceremonial fight. I want all team members to become familiar with something other than the Zanpakuto. When dealing with the unknown, it's better to over-prepare."

"Tch…it feels like a lot of work for nothing," Ikkaku grumbled.

He scratched the area just above where the mask that covered his forehead and temples met his scalp. The red markings that ran from the corners of his eyes to the temples and the two small protruding horns made him look a little bit like a demon or an ogre in a play.

"I know. That's why I'm in charge and you're not," Tatsuki said grinning.

Ikkaku muttered something under his breath and she could only shake her head.

She remembered the meeting she had with some of the other Captains before she was inserted into her Gigai. It had been Captain Saijin who suggested that they all learn another weapon aside from the Zanpakuto. Even before the meeting, she thought it was a good idea, but his endorsement gave it more weight.

She had taken up hand-to-hand combat again and Sui-Feng was all too eager to help resume her advancement in that style.

Nemu was a natural at any and every weapon she picked up, which was somewhat unnerving.

Ikkaku proved to be good with the quarterstaff. That was no great surprise since he mostly used his Shikai as a naginata, even though it was actually a Sansetsukon.

Hanataro, on the other hand, was pretty much hopeless with other weapons, except for the bow as it turned out. When she watched him on the archery range she had been surprised at how well his aim was. He would need to work on his speed, however. But the talent was clearly there.

_Tap-tap-tap_

She stiffened when she heard the cane and a series of footsteps coming her way. She let out a sigh and faced her visitors. Two of the Faceless flanked the Central 46 Representative, as if they were expecting an attack here. He walked with a heavy limp and was clearly putting weight on his cane. His brown eyes had a cold and a predatory look to them. She had never thought that brown eyes could ever be so cold or so frightening. But then again she had no memories of her last encounter with Aizen.

"I thought I would find you here," the Representative said with measured clarity.

"Councilor Katsu, what brings you here?" she said with the cold civility her Captain had taught her.

"Is that anyway to speak to your betters?" Sora Katsu asked as he ran his free hand over his pointed, grey-streaked chin beard. I would advise that you watch your tone, Miss Arisawa."

"I…apologize," she said, doing her best to keep her tone even as he ignored her rank.

Katsu looked at her as though measuring her merit and then turned to his guards.

"Leave us. I wish to speak with Lieutenant Arisawa in private."

The two Protectors did not argue. They merely bowed and marched far enough to where they would hear what was being discussed, but still able to keep an eye on them. Katsu looked at Tatsuki, eyes lingering on the lower half of her face.

She knew that he was looking at "The Fragment." While her skin, at her insistence, was merely pale rather than Nemu's paper white, her mask fragment was the most menacing of the lot. Her cheeks held the bottom of a jaw full of a carnivore's sharp teeth, joined under her mouth by a thin strip of white bone.

Unlike the boys, she didn't find it itchy. Nemu didn't find her mask fragment itchy either. But then again, she was probably programed not to scratch itches.

"I suppose I should congratulate you on your success with getting Officer Madarame involved," he said as he finally turned his attention away from her disguise.

"Spare me. You're just mad that I went over Central 46's collective heads."

She was getting irritated by the disapproving look he was giving her. It was as though he thought that going around looking like an Arrancar and wearing a white uniform had been her idea.

"You should learn your place. We all know that you're Sui-Feng's favorite little pet. That's why you got the command on this. And she got her way because she minds her betters," he declared with condescending patience.

"I'm nobody's pet," Tatsuki said coldly.

"Oh…aren't you?" He smiled at her as though he was humoring a child.

"Is this why you came here? Did you come just to insult me because none of your masters' puppets are on this mission?"

"There's no need to be defensive. I merely came here to see how things were progressing and pick-up your report for Central 46 on how the preparations are coming along."

"Things are progressing just fine."

"That's not what I've seen…especially with Mr. Yamada. A mild boy, well-suited for the Fourth, but he hardly seems fit for this sort of work. Wouldn't it be nice to be in charge of an elite team? I can make sure that you get it. You won't have to bother with that poor excuse of an Officer. After all, the Fourth is not the only source of capable healers."

Tatsuki felt heat building up inside her. She glared at the Representative who looked at her with equal sternness.

"So, you came here to see if I would replace my team. It's a little late for that. We're only about a week away from leaving, as you very well know, honorable Councilor," she nearly growled.

"I could have the mission postponed for a bit longer. It would only take a few words to the 46. That way you can replace the…dead weight," he offered, feigning concern.

"I am quite satisfied with the team I have. Besides, I'm sure that your employers are anxious to get the report that I've already sent to them."

Katsu gave a start at that. The corner of his mouth quirked a little. Tatsuki knew that he would use the report as an excuse to see her. However, what he really wanted was to get her to replace her team members with people whom she knew were in any of the pro-Vanguard groups or in the Protectors.

He cleared his throat and looked at her. His eyes were slightly narrowed.

"Well, it's good to know that Captain Sui-Feng picked someone responsible to be in charge. But then again, you two are quite…close."

"Councilor Katsu, we both know that you didn't come here for my report. I think that it's time to stop beating around the bush and just come out with it. You're not asking me to replace my team. You're demanding that I do it," she deadpanned. Her cold demeanor had returned without the veil of politeness.

"Well, I was hoping that you would see reason. I was hoping that you would understand that half of your team is a liability. One is a pathetic excuse for a seated Officer who can't even perform the simplest Kido properly without his Captain holding his hand. The other has demonstrated that he doesn't care for following orders and he got a fellow Officer killed for his insubordination," he said, abandoning all pretense of respect.

"And I trust both them to do what needs to be done. Whether you will ever believe this or not is none of my concern, but I am very well-aware of their short-comings."

"Are you seriously calling their deficiencies mere 'short-comings'?" He chuckled and then glared at her. "They're absolutely incompetent."

"What does it concern you? I thought that you were one of those who want something to happen in order to justify genocide."

"How…DARE YOU? I do what is best for the Soul Society. And I reject…" His eyes narrowed and his knuckles whitened as his grip on the cane tightened.

"STOP WITH THE PRETENSE! I know that you don't give a fuck about what happens to me or my team. All that you care about is getting the war that Central 46, The Vanguard, and just about every war-hungry xenophobe lunatic in the Soul Society want. Are you afraid that because I don't have any of your pets on my team that I might be successful?" she demanded letting her own anger loose.

"Are you suggesting that…?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm merely stating a fact. All of the Gotei expeditions that had members of the…Protectors on it always seemed to go wrong. It didn't matter whether they were in the World of the Living or the Soul Society. Don't you think that's a little suspicious?"

"I do not, and I resent…"

"Look, you're not the one in charge of this mission. I am."

"I would advise that you watch what you say. I represent Central 46."

"And Central 46 gave me the Seal of Authority on this mission and everything regarding it thanks to the strings that Captain-Commander Kuchiki pulled. In this regard, I am your superior, little Errand-Boy." She smiled as she got her composure back.

"I see. I was hoping that you would see reason considering your patroness, but it's clear that I shouldn't have held my breath. Captain Sui-Feng has been too lenient on you. However, that shouldn't have come as a surprise seeing as how you're her favorite toy." He was calm now as well and that made the words sting even more.

There was silence. Tatsuki felt annoyed that the accusation came up again. But she knew that he was merely trying to get her to lose control again. No, he was daring her to lose control.

"Leave," she commanded.

Katsu blinked in surprise. His eyes narrowed and a cold fire burned in them.

"What? What did you say?"

"Are you deaf, Representative Katsu?" she asked, dropping the formal title for anyone working for Central 46. "I'm ordering you to leave. I've had enough of listening to your insults. And you've seen what you came to see. Our business is done."

"Ah, the Dragon makes its appearance. However, the Dragon would be wise not to do something that would arouse the Knight's rage," he stated as he looked at the fragment again.

Tatsuki wanted to say that she was not a Dragon, but rather a Porcupine. However, she only smiled.

"And the Knight would do well to beware the Dragon's breath or else he might get burned. Now you be a good little Errand-Boy and run along," she commanded with a shooing gesture of her hand.

"You do not give me orders, Little Bitch. I give you orders." All pretense of civility vanished from his voice. "I represent Central 46."

"And I have Central 46's Authority with regards to this mission, Errand-Boy. That means that on matters concerning this mission, I outrank you. You are obligated to follow my orders and I ordered you to leave. Consider yourself fortunate that the Dragon is giving the Knight the opportunity to retreat before it decides to bite his fucking head off." She smiled and showed her teeth in addition to the ones on her face.

Sora Katsu's face contorted with rage, but she could tell that the sight unnerved him. She knew that she had him and it felt satisfying. Not for the first time was she glad to have Central 46's Seal of Authority. It not only gave her security, but it also gave her an opportunity to have some real fun with the lapdogs.

However, she knew that once the mission was over, the Seal of Authority would become void. And she knew that Katsu would tell Central 46 that she was abusing her authority and that would prevent her from ever getting another Seal of Authority from them. Tatsuki knew that many of those with Central 46's Seal of Authority on them were abusing their positions in more heinous ways, but they were such good ass-kissers that Central 46 allowed them to continue.

When she heard the story of how Aizen killed the old Central 46 she felt that Aizen was right in that if nothing else. There was no need for Central 46 that she could see. They were all corrupt and hypocritical for all of their claims of wisdom and fatherly concern. If there was one thing that Tatsuki hated above everything, except for seeing her friends hurt, it was hypocrisy.

"I see that there is no reasoning with you, truly regrettable." Katsu turned his back to her and called out to his guards. "We're leaving."

Tatsuki watched as they left. She knew that she had just made a very powerful enemy. However, she found that she didn't care. She sighed and leaned against the rail. She hoped that she would never have to deal with him again.

_**Sora Katsu**_

Outside of the Squad 12 Barracks, Sora Katsu took a deep breath to calm his rage and smiled. He glanced back. His guards saw the cruel mirth lurking in those eyes.

_Let her think she's won,_ he thought. _She doesn't know that she's already lost._

_**Denver, Zone 2, Restored America**_

Ichigo had no scale to measure the present Denver with the old one, but he knew that it was a great city. It didn't have the word "New" in front of it like too many of the American cities after the Downfall. That was a major plus. Skyscrapers and the skywalks that the Americans had become known for when the Pax Americana Party was in control, obscured the sky.

One of the nearby Holo-screens announced that the annual March of Patriots concert for Zone 2, 5th District would take place at the Red Rock Amphitheater. Another showed a line of men and women being executed for the attempted assassination of the District Commander at the Denver Capitol building. He shivered as he watched as the men and women dropped through the trapdoors in the scaffold to do the air dance. He turned away and looked at the posters that adorned the wall across from him.

One of them showed three sour-looking men trudging away from some kind of light source and into darkness. The first was an intellectual-looking man with a tattered red flag resting on his shoulder. The second was a scowling man dressed in white robes and a turban. The third was a fat Asian man in a business suit with a statue of Buddha tucked under his arm. Standing behind and above them, like some kind of Colossus, was a stern-faced man with short graying hair and a slightly-hooked nose and dressed in full military uniform. Ichigo knew that this was the head of the relatively new National Unification Party, the General. Or at least it was someone's glorification of him. He was pointing the way out for the three men. He looked at the message printed under the image and frowned. "AMERICA! LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT!" it declared.

He looked at the other poster and grimaced. It showed the General staring straight ahead. Ichigo felt as though those predatory grey eyes were staring right at him and the pointing gesture the General was making only seemed to confirm it. "ARE YOU A TRUE AMERICAN?" the poster read.

_If the Hawks saw this they would want to recruit him to be their Poster Boy,_ Ichigo thought.

He was tempted to rip both posters down. However, he resisted. He already had enough problems without having to add the problems in the World of the Living on top of it. Instead, he continued to walk through the streets of Denver.

For some reason, it seemed worse that the people weren't clearly suffering under a fascist dictator. The rich weren't confining themselves to the skywalks and the streets were cleaner than any American city he had seen since the Downfall. It seemed as though that as long as you didn't think or act or believe the wrong way, then the General's new regime did improve lives when compared to the Pax Americana predecessors.

_Well, speak of the devil,_ Ichigo thought.

He entered a large plaza where a giant holographic projection of the General addressing a rally.

"Thou shalt be strong was the Command," the giant General roared. "This nation had strength, and greater still, it had the will to use that strength. Did the Americans of old win their Independence and sit upon the shores of the Atlantic? Did they fight again in 1812 in order to keep what was rightfully theirs, only to stay put? NO! They went into the Unknown in order to take what Divine Providence decreed was rightfully theirs. In the great Purchases did they dicker and moan at the expenses or fear the tax payers? NO! They seized the chance for greatness with both hands and poured their will and strength into forging an Empire that would stretch from sea to shining sea and beyond!

"It was an exceptional nation! Its foundation was on the strengths of innovation and the belief that man's will, merit, and faithfulness to God and Country were the foundations of greatness. Let us not forget the role that women played as well in forging the greatest nation that the world had seen since the glorious days of the Roman Empire. America has a long list of Patriots, regardless of their gender and color.

"And no one could strike it down, except for the nation itself. The will was sapped by baseless regrets and second guessing. We allowed ourselves to become enslaved to those we had overcome and turned our backs on the heroes who spilled their blood in order to build our greatness.

"And so we paid for our sins against ourselves and our mighty and noble heritage. Divided and weakened…"

Ichigo had enough. He flash-stepped away from the plaza and followed the directions that he got. He reached the street where the Sacred Grotto was. He saw a small Holo-screen at the corner, blaring.

"We stand upon the ruins of that vile city, Las Vegas. But now it has become a new shining capital for a new era. Americus, pure shining phoenix rising from the ashes of shame and weakness and rising to light the heavens to…"

"Oh shut up, Big Brother," Ichigo growled as he fired a low-level Kido that caused the screen to explode. "I have enough problems as it is."

He could tell that this was not a nice part of town. The streets and sidewalks were still pristine, most likely from a city ordinance handed down by the supreme leader. The buildings, however, were old and worn down if not in ruins. He understood that as long as the poor kept quiet the regime left them alone and gave handouts when they try to live up to their image.

His destination was the best-looking building on the street. He thought that it looked like an old theater. He looked at the large sign that hung in front the building.

"THE MIRACLE IS REAL COME AND BE HEALED BY THE LIGHT" the sign read.

He wasn't sure that it was the right place, until he saw the mural. It showed an idealistic pasture setting and a group of people having a picnic under the sun. It was the painted people that gave it away. He easily recognized each of them. They were the old gang. He always thought that Faith Healers would use Bible characters for their advertisements, but Orihime had decided to use the ideas of peace and happiness and friendship in hers. It seemed to fit her.

_Well, it looks like she's still playing Faith Healer,_ he thought.

He looked at the mural again and he frowned when he saw that the only one missing from the group was Orihime. He shrugged it off. She most likely forgot to include herself or she had probably drawn herself as Robohime again and covered up the mistake. He decided that it didn't matter.

He made his way to the door and saw that it was locked. Even though he knew that he could just go through it, there were still old habits that were hard to break and opening a door was one of them. He used a quick flare of Reiatsu to break the lock. He walked inside and locked around the old lobby. The carpets had long since been removed, leaving only the concrete floor visible. He looked around and he saw that the walls were not covered with old wheel chairs or crutches or anything else that the people who were healed once, but no longer, needed. It was as though Orihime thought that the idea of bragging about her success was somehow degrading. Either that or she decided that word-of-mouth was the best way to show-off.

He felt a small flare of Reiatsu appear and recognized it as Orihime's. She was showing him the way to her.

_Well, it's long overdue,_ he reminded himself.

He walked through the lobby and turned onto one of the halls that branched off from either side of what must have been some kind of concession stand. The hall was lined with doors that led into the old auditoriums. He ignored these and walked towards a door that was propped open from which the Reiatsu was pouring. He looked inside and saw a set of stairs leading up to the areas that had the main offices and the projectors.

He walked upstairs and made his way down the dusty hall. Some of the light fixtures flickered while others glowed as if they were brand new. There were gaps in the ceiling, revealing wiring and parts of the networks of piping and air ducts.

He stopped in front of one of the doors and stepped inside. He looked around the modified projection booth. It had been converted into something of a living room. The walls were covered old manga and anime art. At least they were old by his standards, and he wondered what they would be to the people these days. He looked at a poster for _Spirited Away_ and another for _Sailor Moon_. His eyes stopped when he saw the photo on a small side-table next to a couch.

He picked it up and looked at it. He found that he couldn't breathe as he looked at the smiling faces, most long gone and never seen again. He had searched the Soul Society for some of his old friends, but had never found them. He closed his eyes as the memory of that day came upon him like a crushing wave.

_**Karakura Town, 2 Years After the Winter War**_

_"Say 'Cheese'."_

_"CHEESE," the group called out as the digital camera sitting on the tripod snapped the photo._

_"Come on, let's see how it turned out," Mizuiro said._

_"Yeah, I wanna see how cute Rukia looks," Keigo agreed._

_"You do realize she's right here, right?" Uryu sighed as he straightened his glasses._

_"Ooh, I bet Orihime looks really cute, but not as cute as she is in person."_

_"That's enough, Chizuru," Tatsuki said as she held the spectacled girl back. "We don't want you making a scene."_

_"Well, how does it look, Chad?" Ichigo asked._

_"Looks fine," Chad replied and handed the camera to Ichigo. "Thanks for getting this for me."_

_"Ah, it's no big deal. I figured that you needed some kind of hobby. Just be sure to send each of us a copy of that picture, Big Guy, OK?"_

_"OK."_

_Ichigo sighed as the others gathered around his dad who was busy making hamburgers. He could not believe that this would be one of the last times that all of his friends who survived the Winter War would be together before they scattered to the four winds as adulthood came upon them. _

_He watched as Orihime and Rukia were talking to each other and then burst out laughing. It was good seeing Rukia laughing again. Renji wouldn't have wanted her mourning for him. He would have wanted her to live her life again. _

_Uryu was busy looking over the literature he gathered from the various colleges before being interrupted by a soccer ball bouncing on the table, sending Uryu flying backwards in surprise._

_"HEY! WATCH IT!" he cried out as he sat up from the ground._

_"Oops, sorry about that," Karin said as she grabbed the ball. "Hey, Toshiro, get back to your position, pronto."_

_"Ugh…that's Captain Hitsugaya."_

_"Well at least she stopped calling you 'kid'," Rangiku replied smiling._

_"Tch…whatever."_

_Ichigo watched them. He wished that things could stay like this forever._

_But nothing, not even halcyon days, lasts forever. He knew that, but he didn't have to like it. However, he didn't know that a few days after that reunion, those days would come crashing down, never to be restored._

_**Denver, 204 Years After the Winter War**_

"Hello Ichigo, it's been a while."

Ichigo nearly dropped the photo showing them in front of Urahara's shop as he was brought out of the memory. He turned and blinked in surprise at who he saw.

The girl looked to be about 12 years old. She had black hair and pale skin and wore plaid pajamas. He could make out two flower-shaped pins in her hair. She was holding a stuffed bear that looked like Orihime's bear, Enraku, to her chest. Ichigo saw that she was also wearing sunglasses for some reason.

"Uh…I'm sorry, but…who are you?"

"Oh…sorry…I guess I forgot," the girl said and chuckled.

She lifted a hand and three points of light flared around her and bathed her in a pyramid of light. The sudden increase of Reiatsu caused him to feel nauseated. He was able to stay on his feet, but he felt an unpleasant sliminess trying to climb up his throat. He gasped for air and began to count. Then, as quickly as the sensation came, it was gone. He looked up and saw the pyramid shatter and the points of the light return to the hairpins.

"Is this better?"

"Orihime, is that you?"

"Yeah, unfortunately my vision of Robohime didn't come true."

Ichigo shook his head. She looked very much as she did in high school, except that the hair was still black. The sunglasses and pajamas, which were now being strained by her breasts, remained. She looked untouched by time.

_Or so I wish,_ he thought and looked at the sunglasses.

"So uh…why the disguise?" he asked, trying to get his thoughts together.

"A small girl of European descent is the not how people remember Orihime Inoue. And people are less likely to fear children with these powers. Plus…" She leaned forward to Ichigo and whispered like some conspirator in an old film noir movie. "I get to play and watch cartoons as much as I want when I'm not doing my job."

Ichigo laughed. It was a relief to see some of the old Orihime shining through. She smiled and began to giggle as well.

"It's a nice place you got here."

"Thanks, I had it remodeled a while ago to make it more habitable. I have everything I need. I've got a kitchen and a pantry full of red bean paste. I even have this huge bathtub that I swear must have been used as a hot tub. Or at least that's how it seems. And I even have an entertainment area where we can hang out with all of the others and…" she stopped.

The moment of joy had passed and they were only looking at each other in awkward silence.

"The white really does suit you, Ichigo. I knew all the way back in school that you would become someone of consequence."

She smiled at him, but there was sadness to it that Ichigo didn't like. It was like seeing the sun begin to fade.

"Don't…don't sell yourself short. Most people would try something big or selfish with your power. But here you are. You're using it to…"

"Why are you here?"

Ichigo could tell that she was averting her eyes. He wished that she wouldn't cover her eyes like that. He was sick of trying to see through the darkened glasses.

_We're friends, damn it,_ he thought, anger filling him. _So look at me eye-to-eye._

In a swift motion that Yoruichi would be proud of, he swiped the glasses off her face and leapt back. Orihime turned her head towards him and opened her eyes. Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise and he reached for his Zanpakuto and stopped.

_What are you doing? It's Orihime._

He looked back into the emerald-green eyes with the cat-like pupils. He could not believe that for a moment he actually thought that he was looking at Ulquiorra. However, the moment of realizing Orihime's eyes were too much like Ulquiorra's did more to him than the decades she spent running from him. He let out a moan of despair.

"Why? Why did you…?"

"I have my reasons," Orihime answered and plucked the sunglasses from his hand. "Why did you come here?" she asked again.

"Why did you stay? You could have run like all of the other times, so why did you stay?"

"I'll give you an answer as soon as you give me one."

Ichigo sighed.

"I told Kisuke and Chad that I'm here to let you know that Rukia and I are engaged."

She stiffened and turned her back on him. Ichigo felt relieved that he didn't have to look into those eyes anymore and hated himself for the thought.

"That's wonderful. I'm sure that you two will be very happy together," she said, her voice void of any emotion.

"I would like for you to be there. And I want for as many of our friends to be there. Well, at least…"

"What good are friends?" Orihime asked in that same monotonous voice. "In the end, they always let you down."

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

"You wanted to know why I kept on running from you." She turned around and Ichigo saw her eyes filled with the same emptiness that Ulquiorra's had. "I kept running because I didn't want to face you; not after what happened."

"Then why did you keep the photos of us and Sora? Why does the mural outside have your friends, including me, but not you?"

"To remind me," Orihime answered. "They're to remind me that in the end, no matter how many people I help, I'm nothing but a con."

Ichigo looked at her in surprise. He suddenly realized what Chad had tried to tell him, but couldn't. He tried to speak, but Orihime cut him off.

"I'm a con because I offer to heal them, but I can't. Sure, I can heal their physical ailments. But that's not true healing. True healing is impossible because there are wounds and ailments that are just too deep. I can't heal that part of them. I can't even heal my own scars.

"That's why I painted that mural of those who I was closest to. It's to remind me that no matter how hard I try, I can't get that back. Nostalgia is a curse because you know you can never get what you long for back. Hoping for something can only bring you suffering and despair. _He_ understood that," she said, gesturing to her eyes. "He understood that and he tried to prepare me. He was a better friend than you ever were and you…YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED HIM YOU FUCKING BASTARD!

"Do you know how long I've wanted to say that to you? The only reason why I didn't run was because Chad wouldn't have sent you unless he thought it was for a good reason. I wanted to hear you out and now, I have. And I find that you only wanted to tell me something that would only make the pain worse."

"Orihime, I had no idea…"

_Did I really hurt you this much? Orihime, I had no idea just how much you were hurting. I should have been there for you. But…Tatsuki…Tatsuki could very well not come back from her mission, and if you don't see her… I have to do this. I have to tell you what I can._

"Just…just go, Ichigo. Say 'Hi' to Rukia for me and let her know that I won't be able to come. But I wish…"

"Rukia and I getting married is not the real reason why I came to see you."

Orihime turned and looked at him. The green eyes betrayed surprise.

"What?"

"I'm here because it's about Tatsuki."

"WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?" Orihime screamed and grabbed Ichigo. "Tell me. Did something happen?"

"She's going on a mission, a dangerous mission. It's possibly her most dangerous one so far. We've probably lost some good people on a previous mission and she's going to find that out for us."

Orihime let go of Ichigo and smiled.

"Yeah…yeah, she will. She's Tatsuki. She doesn't know how to fail."

"She regrets failing you. At least, that's how Tatsuki views it. She thinks that it was her fault that you left us."

Orihime frowned at that. She put her sunglasses back on and bit her lower lip.

"Please talk to her," Ichigo pleaded. "After all, you two were so close that for a time I thought that you two were…you know…like Chizuru. Please, talk to her before she leaves. It would mean so much to her."

Orihime bit on her lip harder, drawing blood. He could tell that she was thinking about it. He wanted her to agree. Hope rose in him as he saw her waver and then died when he saw her fists tighten. She turned her back on him and took a step away.

"I can't," she whispered. "I can't face her, Ichigo. After what I did, how can I? I…I wish her good luck," she said, obviously fighting back tears.

"Orihime, it's not…" he began as he reached for her.

However, he was blocked by a golden shield.

"It was my fault. I'm not like you, Ichigo. It's hard enough just to live. Goodbye and…congratulations," she whispered as the shield twisted around her and she began to change into her child's form in front of him.

_I should have told her. I should have told her that Tatsuki's going to Hueco Mundo. That would have probably done something, but…but I gave my word to tell no one of the mission. _

He placed the photo back onto the small table and moved towards the door leading to the hall. He looked around and saw Orihime in her child form with her back towards him. Seeing her like that hurt him because he felt as though he drove her into this.

_I failed you,_ he thought. _I went to Hueco Mundo to save you, but I only succeeded in hurting you. I wasn't there when you really needed me to help you with your grief after Aizen's wrath destroyed your world as well as mine. I wasn't there for you as a friend. I only cared about my own scars and I never thought about yours. Orihime, is it too late? Have I driven you so far away that you can't return to the way you were?_

The thought brought tears to his eyes. He began to regret that he ever came, but at the same time he knew that he needed to. He knew that he could not heal the past. Like Orihime found out so long ago, there were some things that even the powers of a god could never mend. All that he could do was try to restore at least some piece of what they once had. However, he didn't know how to put such a thing into words. Instead, he said the first thing that came into his mind.

"The door is always open," he whispered. "All that you have to do is come in."

Ichigo walked out of the room and into the hall, not knowing whether or not he had said the right thing. He felt as though he was drifting helplessly on unfamiliar seas, seeking some speck of land of familiarity that he could swim to and finding nothing. He felt as though the sun had completely darkened and would never shine again.

_**Orihime Inoue**_

Orihime sat in her secret place, alone. An ocean breeze struck her face and the salty smell filled her nostrils. The sun was high above her. The green grass waved in the breeze.

Shortly after Ichigo left she knew that she had to come here. She had to think things over. She looked out over the ocean and smiled.

_Oh Ulquiorra,_ she thought. _If only you could have seen this._

She sighed and stood up. It felt good to come here and put her thoughts together. She knew that Ichigo was probably right. She owed it to Tatsuki, but the thought of facing her fears only caused her to fear even more. She walked over to the edge of the cliff as she had done so many times before and looked down at the waves crashing against the rocks below.

"Can I fly?" she asked herself and looked up at the vast ocean. "What would be the point?"

She turned and went back through the fold that her Shun-Shun-Rikka had made. She had learned of this technique after the Second Aizen War and had used it to help her avoid detection until she was practiced at changing her physical appearance.

She stopped and took another look at the cliff's edge.

"Are you afraid, Little Girl?" she whispered in a monotonous voice.

"I'm not afraid."

"Why does living have to be so hard?" she sighed and stepped through the fold. When she had stepped through, the fold vanished, leaving only the wind to blow through the grass as the waves beat on the rocks below.

_**Hueco Mundo, The Shrine**_

Isra tugged at the veil that now concealed most of her face. Even though she had looked forward to wearing the veil, it felt odd if not a little uncomfortable. Whenever she breathed it moved, and its weight was on her ears.

"It takes some getting used to," a tall light brown Arrancar female with bright blonde hair said as she leaned over to ruffle her hair. "Don't worry so much. I remember when my rite was done and I got my first veil. I wondered how the other women could stand it. But now I feel naked without it."

"Stop it, Persephone," Isra squawked.

She tried to push the taller woman away. However, Persephone only rubbed her hair even harder, light blue eyes sparkled with amusement. Isra's face reddened as the others in the party laughed at her vain efforts. Except for the three men, they all wore veils.

Isra smiled at the knowledge that all of those who were deemed Daughters of the Sacred Mother had this one thing in common.

_And this place,_ she thought as she looked at the plain but wide corridor they walked down to the central chamber. _I belong with them now. What's a little discomfort next to that?_

She knew that she would need a mirror as she straightened her white hair. She wanted to make sure that the black streak was well-displayed.

_After all, it is my best physical feature, _she sighed to herself eyeing Persephone and the other beautiful women.

"Here we are," Persephone whispered as she leaned down to the shorter woman. "Don't get too nervous now. A Daughter's first Prayers are never as bad as they're made out to be. Just follow the High Acolyte's lead. You'll be fine."

Isra looked up at the great doors that led to one of the most sacred places for the Triples and all those who worshiped the Great Mother. The sound of slow, rhythmic drumbeats filled the air. She heard the Ceros signaling the beginning of the prayers being fired from the pinnacle. The gates opened and she stood in awe at the great statue of the Mother standing at the far end of the large chamber.

The statue was of Harribel herself in her Resurrección form. It stood as though in defiance of the past and hope of the future. The left hand clutched her great blade and was raised high in the air. The right hand was cupped just below the womb.

Three alcoves were carved in the base of the statue's tall pedestal. Two were already filled with statues of Mila Rose, with her blade held over her head, and Sung-Sun, with a stone tablet in her left hand while her right covered her mouth. The third was empty.

Isra looked at the friezes adorning the walls. The wall on the statue's right showed the vast desert with a crescent moon hanging high above the dome of Las Noches far in the background. A great band of Arrancars were on their knees, facing the direction of the statue. The frieze on the other side showed the legendary sun over a great city with rivers and trees carved into the stone. Carved Soul Reapers were falling in terror or struck down by divine judgment.

"It's so beautiful," Isra whispered tenderly.

"I know," Persephone replied, smiling.

Soon, a few other groups of pilgrims came into the chamber behind them and moved forward. Some fell to their knees and began to whisper prayers to the Great Mother.

Isra could hear the drumbeats' pace quicken, and glass flutes began to sound somewhere out of sight, adding their delicate harmony to the steady strength of the drums. The time for the Prayers was about to begin. She focused her attention on the area she suspected that the High Acolyte would enter, which was the vacant alcove. The drums ceased and the flutes were silenced.

There was silence for a few seconds and then a loud voice filled the chamber.

"THE BLESSINGS OF THE MOTHER COME UPON YOU."

"LET HER LIGHT SHINE UPON US," a chorus of voices responded.

"THE TRUTHS OF THE MOTHER COME UPON YOU."

"LET HER LIGHT SHINE UPON US."

"THE VISIONS OF THE MOTHER COME UPON YOU."

"LET HER LIGHT SHINE UPON US."

Isra looked and saw the High Acolyte, Apacci, walking from behind a curtain that she had mistaken for the back wall of the alcove. Lady Apacci was dressed in a plain pelt skirt and crimson bandages were wrapped around her chest, but her veil was held in place by thin gold chains with bits of quartz hanging at the ends. She wore a long, thin, semi-translucent robe of silk over it all. She spread her arms out the crowd, receiving them.

"Her light shall fall upon you," Apacci said. She was followed by a line of the Silver Acolytes. Three held banners displaying the crests of their Sisterhoods: the roaring lion of Leonisra, the serpent of Anaconda, and the three-horned doe of Cierva. "You are the children of the Holy Mother. Her vision lives in you. Her vision is of Paradise. The Children of Sorrow shall run in the Green Fields of Joy."

"The Children of the Moon-Lit Sands shall run in the Sun-Lit Fields," the Silver Acolytes responded in unison.

Isra listened to the Prayers and the Responses as the pilgrims joined in. She felt the unity here. Their visions were becoming her vision. Their dreams were becoming her dreams.

"Let us never forget," Apacci said.

"Let us never forget," the assembled responded.

"Let us never forgive," Apacci said.

"Let us never forgive," Isra said with the rest of the assembled.

When the Prayers were over, Apacci and the Silver Acolytes departed walking past the pilgrims. Only the three banner bearers remained before their respective alcoves.

"Alright," Persephone whispered. "Now we go up to the tomb and pay our respects. Come on."

She grabbed Isra's arm and led her to the foot of the statue. Isra looked through the long quartz panel and gasped. Staring back at her was a skull; the mask fragment that was laid gently in front of it was like a shark's mouth. She didn't know what to say to this sight.

Instead, she looked around at the other pilgrims, desperate for some hint. Some knelt and kissed the quartz slab. Others merely placed a hand on it. Others pressed their foreheads to it and muttered a quick prayer. She could tell that each act was a genuine moment of intimacy.

Isra knelt and touched the slab. She looked at Persephone who only nodded. Planting both hands she shakily lowered herself to kiss the slab. They stood and made their way to the doors.

Her off-white lips were tingling and her hands were tingling as well. She resisted the urge to brush her lips with the back of her hand. This feeling was strange, but it wasn't bad.

_Was it the Goddess?_

"Look up," Persephone whispered.

Isra did and saw that another frieze was carved over the doorway. She froze. It showed the moment when everything in Hueco Mundo changed. It was the moment of the Betrayal that brought about the Great Schism, trapped in stone.

"Do you know what it is?" Persephone demanded gently.

Isra nodded her head. The emotions building up in her head streamed out through warm tears that crested only to stain her veil. Her eyes took in the image of Harribel being run through by the blade of the one she had loved the most.

"We must never forget and we must never forgive," Isra said, letting the words out along with the tears.

Persephone nodded and looked at the frieze.

"Cursed be the name of Starrk," she recited grimly. "Cursed be the Great Mother's Betrayer."

Isra nodded. She repeated the words in her head. However, she thought she heard Persephone whisper something else as she tried to engrave the sacred image into her memory. It was something that contradicted with what she said only moments before.

She couldn't be sure, but she thought that that Persephone had whispered, "Blessed is his love…"

Isra pulled her gaze back down and looked at the Arrancar with shock and confusion.

_Surely she hadn't…_

Before Isra could finish the thought, Persephone tilted her head back down and looked at her, smiling.

"Come on. We better get going. We don't want to miss out on all of the good food. These banquets _are _like they say," Persephone whispered eagerly.

Isra nodded her head. She had already dismissed what she thought she heard and now that was being forgotten. Her violet eyes glittered with excitement.

**End of Chapter 2**

**A.N.: Much has occurred over the course of 204 years since Aizen was defeated in the Winter War. Don't worry, the Second Aizen War, the Great Schism, and the Downfall will be explored as the story progresses. **

**In case anyone is wondering: yes, Sora Katsu is the same Central 46 Representative who appeared in the Prologue. The odd thing was that when I was choosing his name, I didn't realize that he shared the same first name as Orihime's brother, but I will say that he is NOT Orihime's brother.**

**I want to thank everyone who has added this story to their Favorites and Alerts and to those who have reviewed.**

**I also want to thank Eduard Kassel for sharing his vision of this story with me and asking me to help him bring it to life. I am deeply honored.**

**Thank you for reading, and please review.**


	4. Chapter 3: Farewell, Sunlit Lands

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 3: Farewell, Sunlit Lands**

The moon illuminated a scene of carnage. Four Arrancars battled against a troop of bandaged bipedal Hollows and an Adjuchas with tentacles for arms. The sandy floor was already covered with corpses and pools of black blood and tangles of intestines and other internal organs.

Although, to be more accurate, three were fighting while a fourth seemed to be trying not to die.

"I see that Yamada is still not performing well," Captain-Commander Kuchiki remarked.

He stood in front of the windows of the observation room that overlooked this simulation of Hueco Mundo. Behind him, a row of Squad 12's scientists were sitting at computers entering data of their observations or were speaking softly into microphones. The screens on the other side showed various scenes of the battle taking place on the training ground below.

"True, but his poor performance in battle was expected from the start," Captain Kurotsuchi commented as he stood next to his superior. "His role is to be more of a medic than a combat troop; so I suppose that Lieutenant Arisawa finds this acceptable. At the very least, he has adapted well-enough to use the Gigai abilities."

Byakuya only nodded in response. They watched as the four continued to battle in the arena below.

They watched as Ikkaku cut an ostrich-like Hollow in half with his imitation Zanpakuto. The creature's intestines and organs gushed onto the ground as it fell in a growing pool of blood and waste.

"These modified Hollows possess some of the basic abilities that Arrancar possess. It's hardly ideal, but our supply of prisoners has long since been depleted and their parts are used sparingly."

"And yet you continue to produce such innovations. The efficiency of your division is noted, Captain." Byakuya watched Mayuri out of the corner of his eyes. Mayuri only shrugged and tilted his head to one side as though in thought.

"Someone has to be efficient around here. Take Madarame for instance. He never uses the more advanced abilities unless ordered. His fighting style has hardly altered since he was inserted into his Gigai. But then again, his barbaric ways are perhaps fitting for the company he will shortly be keeping."

"Perhaps," Byakuya agreed. "You daughter seems to be making effective use of her new skills."

As they watched, Nemu caught a red Bala that was aimed at Hanataro. She added her own energy to it before Sonídoing out of sight to hurl it at the feline Hollow that sent the Bala. The ball of red and violet light struck the creature in the head. There was an explosion and smoke covered the spot where the Hollow was.

"Unlike most seated officers, Nemu does not rely on her sword abilities. This training was merely the latest minaret on a much larger structure. Unlike Yamada, she will not be entirely worthless outside of her supporting role."

Byakuya frowned a little and drew his attention back to the ground below them. The smoke that Nemu's attack caused cleared to reveal the Hollow. It cried out in agony and they could see that its mask was cracked nearly in half. Nemu flashed into sight and stood in front of the Hollow. Two more Hollows were rushing towards her as the one in agony got to its feet. It screamed in rage and charged. Nemu stood her ground.

She opened her mouth and a violet cero shot out, destroying the first Hollow completely and destroying parts of the two behind it.

"Mission Commander Arisawa appears to be occupying the middle ground," Byakuya noted.

"Indeed. The data from these tests reaffirms most of the data collected on the First Expedition's preparations despite the smaller test group."

"However, last time the subjects were…traditional Soul Reapers."

"It is rather late for you to raise objections on Nemu's involvement, Captain-Commander."

"I have never objected as your reasons for her deployment are sound. However, I trust you have accounted for the fact that her body, which is essentially a Gigai, has been inserted into another highly modified Gigai?"

Mayuri shot Byakuya a sideways glance. His eyes smoldered with rage and his mouth was tightly shut.

"Comparing her body to a mere Gigai is like comparing a common Soul Reaper to a Captain. Though the most basic components are virtually identical the ability and complexity of the actual mechanics is immense.

"As for your concern… Remember that I personally designed Nemu and her Arrancar Gigai. If anyone understands what goes on through that foolish girl's mind and body it's me."

_I highly doubt that,_ Byakuya thought.

"Oh my," Mayuri said, grinning as he brought his focus back to the arena floor, anger disappearing with disturbing swiftness. "It would appear as though we're about finished here. My, my, this is interesting. It would appear as though they're going to allow Miss Arisawa deliver the coup de grâce."

Byakuya only nodded in agreement. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the scene below.

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

_This is a pain in the ass,_ Tatsuki thought.

Her sword cut through another tentacle that had wrapped around her other arm. She flexed the bound arm to free it from the slacking grip. The Adjuchas screamed in pain and rage as its prey escaped. Tatsuki looked at it and grinned at the creature.

"You really thought you could take on the Dragon and not get bit?"

The Adjuchas let out a stream of curses. It whirled its remaining tentacles, kicking up sand. Tatsuki shook her head and stepped aside as a tentacle shot out at her from the sandstorm. She swung her sword down on the tentacle. Black blood gushed and the tentacle hung limply. The other tentacle swung at her and she merely ducked.

"I tried to warn you. You don't want to mess with the Dragon."

The creature's sandstorm trick had been a pain early on. It was bad enough to deal with the tentacles shooting out of the storm, but it was made worse with all of the weaklings trying to swarm her. But all of the weaklings were dead and the Adjuchas could not take advantage of the distractions.

It was strongest on its side of the sandstorm. But Tatsuki was strongest on her own side. Now, they fought without any distractions.

However, Tatsuki knew that she had the advantage. Two of its tentacles were gone. Even though slipping through the swinging tentacles wouldn't be easy, it also wouldn't be a big deal. Tatsuki dodged the tentacles as she rushed towards its neck-less torso. She poised her blade to drive it into the mask nestled between the shoulders.

"You are one ugly fuck," Tatsuki said, smiling as she closed the distance.

"ANG YAR DEED!" the creature screamed.

The creature opened its fang-filled mouth impossibly wide. The red ball of a cero was already forming. Bathed in its glow, Tatsuki slid to a stop, kicking up sand. She held up her hand and shot out a light purple Bala. Her aim was true. The Bala struck the forming Cero and there was a flash of white light as the two energies destroyed each other.

Smoke billowed from the Adjuchas's mouth. Most of the fangs were shattered and some of the others were chipped. The Hollow staggered back, howling in pain as fine cracks began to spread over the lower half of its mask. Suddenly, a blade sprouted from its brow. Its eyes widened in surprise as the blade went down and then vanished as it reached its Hollow hole. The monstrosity gave a final scream as it fell to the sands.

Tatsuki stood over the corpse, cleaning her blade with a rag. She looked down at it, her face grim.

"So, do you think we're ready?" Ikkaku asked from the rock outcropping he was crouching on.

Tatsuki looked at Ikkaku and smiled.

"Ask him," she replied and pointed to the dead Adjuchas.

_**Squad 10 Barracks**_

"'We need to talk, now.' 200 years and he still has a bad attitude," Ichigo grumbled.

Missing the irony of his statement, Ichigo went over the message that the Hell Butterfly delivered to him in his mind as he walked through the halls of the 10th Squad's Barracks. He gave the occasional nod as Soul Reapers stopped to bow or salute. Some people he knew liked this kid's attitude, but he found it annoying.

When he reached the doors to the outer waiting room for Toshiro's office, Ichigo paused. He eyed the doors warily. He didn't need to sense the Reiatsu to know what beast laid in wait. It was possible, but difficult, to evade it. The lump in his stomach was not a good omen. He had a feeling that the heavens were not on his side this day.

_Maybe I should use the window, today,_ he thought.

He barely had time to turn around when the doors slammed open.

"ICHIGO! THERE YOU ARE!"

He froze; his face away from the double doors.

_Oh crap._

"Taicho was about to ask me to go find you. Honestly, if not for Kenpachi and Shunsui, you'd be the latest man around here," Rangiku Matsumoto called.

_Well, I can't smell any sake on her right now. Maybe it won't be so bad._

"Lucky for you, Taicho's double-booked. So, he's occupied right now. And you know what that means?"

_Oh gods, no, no, no…_

"That means you can get reacquainted with the twins," she continued now breathing down his neck.

He could imagine the glint of doom in her eyes as she leaned into his back.

_SHIT! MUST…RUN!_

Alas, it was too late. She looped one arm over his and she dragged him into the office's waiting room.

"You're too tense. Now, just relax. Honestly, why is that only two Captains know how to relax? And they're a bum and a psycho!" Rangiku complained.

She pushed him down into a chair in front of her desk. She leaned over her desk to clear some of the large pile of files and papers by pushing them onto the floor. She was facing away from him and was giving Ichigo a great view of her shapely ass. He was positive that it wasn't unintentional.

He averted his gaze by turning his head to look away so quickly that he was sure he strained something. The ponytail was one of the saner changes the woman had gone through since he met her. However, her figure…

_If Chizuru is lurking around somewhere, she would be absolutely worshiping this woman while dying of blood loss,_ Ichigo thought. He looked over to door that led to the Captain's office. _No wonder why Snowy made a barrier._

"Here we are! Natural, like you insist. I had to re-heat it with Kido, though, since you just had to be late."

Rangiku and handed him a mug of hot tea while also giving him a sex-crazed teen's dream view of her massive cleavage.

_How is it that she doesn't have back problems?_

Ichigo tried to focus on something other than the sight of her breasts. But, being a straight male, it was difficult.

"Well, now that you're taken care of," Rangiku said as she smiled devilishly. "Let's get to the…Main Event." She straightened up and put a hand into the valley between her Twin Himalayan Mountains.

"Uh…listen…Rangiku…I…" Ichigo struggled as it was thrust into his face.

His vision was filled with the image of a four year old wearing a hat that covered his…his… Ichigo's mind came to a halt as he realized what he was seeing.

"Oh and here's the drag edition with Mommy's bra! I'm pretty sure it's a phase, but if not… Well, having two daughters wouldn't be so bad. Though, I might have to ask Taicho to install another bathroom," she mused, never losing that close-eyed smile.

"Or you could stop mooching off him," Ichigo managed.

He felt pity for the child Captain. He was sure that when Toshiro offered her a place to stay after the birth he did not mean for it to become indefinite.

"WHAAAAT? And give up free room and board? Besides, they just love their Uncle Shiro! Speaking of which…here's little Momo all set for battle with Taicho's sword!" Rangiku gushed as she showed him another photo.

And so it went. Rangiku went into excruciating details of "The Misadventures of Momo and Shuhei Matsumoto", captured by her poor over-worked camera. As usual he wondered two things. First: wouldn't a responsible mother actually stop some of this stuff rather than documenting it? And second: how much film did that damn camera have?

He was starting to debate how best to escape as the deluge continued with no end in sight. Even if it was his own children, he doubted that he would be as interested as Rangiku was.

Then, like a trumpet hailing the cavalry's arrival, he heard the door to the Captain's office slide open. The crazy, over-buxom Lieutenant leaned back and he breathed a sigh of relief.

_Oh Sweet Sanity, did you miss me as much as I missed you?_

"IZUMI!" Rangiku shouted.

The feeling of relief that blossomed in him shattered with that single word. His mood suddenly went sour. He suddenly scowled and stood up. He looked over at the Captain's office door. Sure enough, Izumi Kuchiki was coming out.

The short 7th seat of Squad 1 had her hair tied back in the usual rope-like braid. She looked at him as though she was an outlaw who had somehow found that they had stepped into the police station. He lifted an eyebrow as her dark lavender and dark olive eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed again. A look of irritation came over her and she crossed her arms as though saying, _"What's your problem?"_

Ichigo crossed his own arms when he realized that she must have been pretty distracted not to notice him or Rangiku's monologue. Rangiku sat on her desk, watching them and looking like she wanted to have a bucket of popcorn to munch on.

"Captain Kurosaki, I was just leaving," Izumi said, poorly hiding her irritation.

"So I see. What were you doing here?" Ichigo asked as civilly as he could.

"I needed to speak to Toshiro of course," she answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Is that so? Why would Squad 1's 7th Seat need to see _Captain Hitsugaya_?"

"To deliver a message," she snapped and began to rub the scar that led from the hairline on the left-side of her head and ended just below the dark lavender eye, a habit she had whenever she got agitated.

"Why didn't you just send a Hell Butterfly?"

"Why does the Captain of Squad 5 care?"

"Call me 'Old Fashioned.'"

"I'll call you 'Nosey.'"

"Enough," a cold voice cut in.

"AW! TAICHO! It was just getting good," Matsumoto complained, swallowing the last of the rice ball she had got from somewhere.

"Kurosaki, I am ready for you."

Izumi grinned, thinking she was off the hook and walked past Ichigo only to find her air cut off by something large, soft, and warm.

"Izumi! We must have missed each other when you got here."

_More like she did what I should have done and snuck in through the window,_ Ichigo thought.

"It's been so long since we had some girl time. I have so much to share!" Rangiku cheered as she hugged (suffocated) the poor girl.

Izumi managed to half turn her face free and shot a pleading look to Ichigo. Ichigo only grinned and shook his head. He closed the office door behind him.

"So, what was she doing here, Toshiro?"

His face was serious again as he turned to face the white-haired Captain. Toshiro's hair had been trimmed back some over the years and he finally got some height and definition to his face. But Ichigo was thinking that the "strapping man" figure was not in his friend's destiny.

_At least he can wear his sword in his belt now._

"First of all, I prefer for you to address me as 'Captain Hitsugaya' and not 'Toshiro.' Second, she was here on business from the Captain-Commander."

"I hope that was the only reason."

Ichigo knew that the tone in his voice was hardly courteous.

"If there was, and I'm not saying that there was any other reason, it would be none of your concern," Toshiro sighed irritably.

"Oh, so there was something else going on. Don't you think that's a bit lecherous? You are kind of married to Rangiku." Ichigo allowed a slight smirk to form.

"HEY! Just because I allowed Rangiku to stay with me after she had her kids doesn't mean that we're married! You try getting rid of a woman who shamelessly parades her kids in front of you when you try to bring up the subject."

"Uh huh, and how many times have they called you 'Papa'?"

"ENOUGH! You're as bad as Matsumoto. It must come with the hair," the short Captain grumbled.

"Don't start that, and don't start something with Izumi you hear?" Ichigo laughed.

"Don't you think that you're imposing on the Captain-Commander's role? After all you aren't a Kuchiki yourself."

"I don't know. Since Rukia and I are engaged…"

"Look, it doesn't matter who Izumi's related to, because I didn't call you here to talk about her."

"Okay, okay, fine, but just keep in mind that she is like family to me."

"Could we please get to what I wanted to talk to you about?" Toshiro asked through his face-palm.

"Sure, what's up?"

There was silence for a few seconds. Ichigo knew that it must be something serious.

"Don't do it."

"Do what?"

"The stupid heroic stunt you are planning despite the good advice you have been getting.

"Since no one else is going to take the step, I'll say it. Man up and stop trying to play the hero," Toshiro ordered as he got up from his chair.

The temperature seemed to drop as the two Captains faced each other. Outside they could hear Matsumoto squeal at how adorable one of her pictures was.

Ichigo sighed and glared at Toshiro who only glared back. Ichigo felt irritation rising in him. However, he decided not to allow it to fully bloom into anger.

"What makes you think I'm trying to play the hero?"

"You know perfectly well why, Captain Kurosaki. It's because that's the way you've always been. You've always rushed into things without thinking, often against the prudent advice from those who are more experienced than you I might add. When I was told that you spent a good deal of time away from the Seireitei with no notice of your activity…"

"That was for personal reasons," Ichigo protested.

He knew that he wasn't the only Captain with business separate from the Soul Society. But he would bet that his was among the least unsavory business.

"What personal reason could you have to forsake your duties and your Squad? Lieutenant Kotetsu did not know what to do in your absence and no one had any means of contacting you. For all any of us knew, you could have rushed into Hueco Mundo without permission like you did over 200 years before. Your Squad idolizes you as the Hero of two wars as well as being their Captain. They look to you for an example, and these actions could be seen as endorsing insubordination.

"It might work in Kenpachi's squad of thugs since they're the fighting force. However, would it work in your squad in fulfilling their duties in relation with the other Squads?

"Do you even realize how much your maverick actions played a role in causing us to lose so many in the Winter War? Aizen played on your personality to force our hand to meet him on his terms. Then, he did the same thing only two years later and you know how that turned out."

Ichigo's hands clenched into fists and he struggled to keep a hold of his temper. His failures were something that he would have to carry around with him and he did not need for them to be thrown into his face. Then again, it seemed as though his actions had caused so much pain that reached farther than he thought.

_Just like with Orihime,_ he thought, loosening his fists. _I never really understood just how much pain I caused her by not talking with her or being there to comfort her._

"You're irresponsible and impulsive. You leave without telling anyone how they can contact you and you left your soul pager behind. You may wear the white, but you don't act like it. It's time that you started behaving like a true Captain and not like a little kid pretending to be some kind of superhero. Those days are over."

Ichigo wanted to protest. He wanted to say that there was always a need for someone to be a hero. He wanted to tell him that all of his actions were done out of a desire to protect everyone. He wanted to say that there were times when the Law had to take a back seat to Sense and Morality.

Then he thought of Orihime.

He knew that Toshiro was right. He had to face the harsh truth that his heroics had probably done as much harm as good in the long-run.

_Heroics should be a resort and not the standard,_ he thought.

"I know," Ichigo whispered.

"You may know, but can you act like it? You are a Captain in the Gotei and you share in those responsibilities with your peers and subordinates. However, that isn't the only responsibility you must shoulder. You also have responsibility towards your allies. And then there's the matter of you being a Visored," Toshiro stated as he turned slightly to look partly out of his window.

"WHOA! Hold on there. I'm sorry, but I don't like the term 'Visored.' I'm a Soul Reaper who happens to have Hollow powers. That's it."

"I'm afraid that many disagree, such as the Zabimarus and the nobility. They view you as a threat to the purity of the Shinigami Race. But, then again, so do many who aren't in The Vanguard or their allies."

"Why? I mean, I knew that there was some bigotry aimed against me and the others like me, but after I received the white and the truth about the Visoreds exposed… I just assumed it had been pushed to the fringe."

"Then you made a foolish assumption. The reason is most likely because they view you as a threat to the sense of superiority that the Shinigami Race has developed over the millennia. Many of them view the Soul Reaper as being superior to all other forms of existence. They cite the abilities we possess over the mundane pluses, our prolonged lives, and of course our role in maintaining the spiritual flow in the worlds.

"It may have started out as a romanticism of our duties and abilities has long since become a pervasive view of our race as being superior in general. Whether it's a reformer trying to enable the people or a conservative who's citing traditions, they advocate the Soul Reaper's role.

"The Artificial Races, such as Mod Souls and the Bounts, suffered under this and the Quincy threat seemed to validate it. Hybrids like you are seen as a threat to the sanctity of the Shinigami Race, the only race that matters in their minds. The very fact that your other part is a Hollow takes it a step too far with many.

"That's why you need to be seen as a good Captain, if not a model one. Give them proof that you can be a responsible Captain and many will choose reason, or at least do nothing more than grumble.

"And that's also why you must keep quiet about your engagement to Rukia," Toshiro finished.

"Why should I?" Ichigo asked, a bit more loudly than he intended.

"Honestly, were you always this stupid? It's because if they find out that an 'Impure' Shinigami is going to marry into one of the most prominent Shinigami families, it will be bad. Considering that Rukia is sister to the Captain-Commander and there's a good chance your children may become the clan's head… There will be riots. And you may find yourself in a situation that you can't escape from with enemies who have no need to draw swords."

"Relax. I have no intention of spreading the news to anyone outside of my closest circle of friends about me and Rukia. We talked about the nobility bit, and we decided to do this for us; not politics.

"Besides, I don't even know if there will be a wedding. She's still missing and…"

Ichigo didn't want to say the last part. Toshiro nodded, not just in agreement, but also understanding what Ichigo didn't want to say.

"Well at least you're learning that even the most undesirable outcome is still a possibility. Just remember, Ichigo, let the Recovery Team handle things. Your main responsibility now is to the Gotei and not just yourself. Rukia would kick your ass if you dropped everything just to rescue her again."

"I know, but I still don't like not being able to do anything. I prefer fighting my own battles and not having someone else do it for me."

"I understand how you feel. However, sometimes we have to do what we don't want to do. Honor and responsibility demands it." Toshiro closed his eyes.

Ichigo sighed and shook his head. It wasn't something that he could whole-heartedly agree to.

"I still don't like it. If that's all then I must be going. I'm sure that the Captain-Commander will want to put me on patrol duty." Ichigo got up and walked towards the door.

Toshiro only nodded. He knew that Ichigo used the patrols in the Rukongai as an opportunity to find his lost friends. And in all of those years in his search, he only found Mizuiro. Toshiro knew that the chances that Ichigo would find the others were extremely slim. But then again, Toshiro never gave up his secret hopes that the path of Momo's reincarnation would cross his. He figured that many Soul Reapers harbored such fantasies.

Ichigo stopped before he got to the door and turned to Toshiro. His eyes were hard while a grin twitched at his mouth.

"Just you remember that if you hurt Izumi, I'll have to hurt you before Byakuya does. He'd go too easy on you."

"If I hurt Izumi, she'll most likely hurt me first. She can still deliver one Hell of a kick, Kurosaki." He allowed a small smile.

"I'm sure she does." Ichigo said, smiling slightly. "The next time we all go out for drinks, I'll be sure to have you invited."

"And I'll be sure to refuse."

Ichigo gave a little chuckle as he walked out of the office, closing the door behind him.

"It's good to see that he's still able to banter with you like that. And just after a good ole fashion lecture," a familiar voice cut in.

Ichigo saw Rangiku leaning against the wall next to the doubt. There was no doubt that she had been eavesdropping, as usual. However, Izumi wasn't in the room.

_Tch…she managed to escape the Valley of Doom,_ Ichigo thought bitterly.

He looked at the buxom Lieutenant and was surprised that her eyes didn't have their usual mischief. There was something unnerving about the seriousness on her face.

"So, you and Rukia will be getting married?"

"Uh…yeah…that's why…"

Rangiku slapped him hard across his face. He looked at her in surprise as he put a hand up to where Rangiku struck him. The area began to go numb.

"It's about fucking time you two finally decided to take the next step. She accepted your proposal before she left, didn't she?" Rangiku hissed.

Her eyes narrowed. For a moment, Ichigo was afraid that she would take a swipe at him like an angry cat. Ichigo saw the look in her eyes and he knew what she was thinking about. He felt ashamed.

"Yeah," he whispered.

"Then let's hope that they bring her back alive. I hope that you didn't make the same mistake that I made with Gin and Shuhei."

"I hope I didn't either."

"That's why I'm encouraging Toshiro with Izumi. Oh…and thanks for not helping by the way. He needs to have someone to help him from falling into despair again, in case I'm not around. I hope that he's learned something from our mistake. You and Rukia obviously haven't," she stated as she planted her fists on her hips.

"What mistake might that be?" Ichigo asked, but he already knew the answer.

"We hesitated. You hesitated with Rukia and I hesitated with Gin and Shuhei."

"Rukia isn't dead though."

"What if she is? Ichigo, if there's one thing that I've learned with Gin's death it's that it's better to act and regret than to hesitate and regret.

"I tried to live my life to the fullest and have fun. Shuhei was just supposed to be a friend with benefits. We both agreed to that. I had given up on having children when I wasn't able to get 'knocked-up', even with Squad 4's help. And then…

"I never told him. I was worried about being a parent and about what he would say or do. Then he was dead, never knowing. Even if it wouldn't have worked out he deserved to know. He deserved to have a choice. One day, I'll have to tell my children that their father never had the chance to be happy or shocked or whatever. They'll have to live without knowing as well.

"I should have gone after Gin instead of waiting for him to come to me. With what he planned it probably wouldn't have worked. But, I still should have tried. Just like with Shuhei…"

Ichigo remained silent. He wondered if he had been too late with Rukia.

"Well…enough of that," Rangiku said, eyes lighting up. "I have some more photos to show you. Izumi practically chewed her arm off to get away. Honestly, that girl needs to learn not to take orders so seriously!"

Ichigo moaned as Rangiku reached into her bosom and drew out the small photo album again.

_**Department of Research and Development**_

Tatsuki sat on a mat at the edge of the testing room she had been using as a dojo. She was trying to relax and clear her mind, but found that she couldn't.

_I hate Squad 12,_ she thought.

There was none of the pride or honor of the military here and there was none of the compassion of Squad 4's Barracks. It was like being in the bowels of some research facility or an evil corporation from those movies Orihime liked to watch. The thought of Orihime brought a sense of guilt to her.

_Orihime, what can I do to bring you back to us?_

She shook her head. She couldn't afford to think of such thoughts now. She simply lay back on the floor. She was glad for the Hierro since she knew that the floor would have been unbearably cold. She sighed.

_I wish I was back in my office, or taking a walk through the Third Squad's Grounds and under the fruit trees they have there._

Those were her favorite places to go before going on a high-risk mission. She was certain that Sui-Feng would show up soon. Her hand touched the mask and she sat up.

_Oh man, what would she think if she sees me like this?_

Her fingers traced her mask fragment. It seemed to suit her and that made it more unnerving for her. Mayuri was quite pleased with that fact. The only time she would be allowed outside again would be when they went to Memorial Hill to head out to Hueco Mundo. When that happened, it would be time to say "Farewell" to the sun until she got back, hopefully with Rukia in tow.

She had been taught by experience that it was alright to be nervous before a mission. Overconfidence leads to failure and indifference to failure was either treasonous or insanity. In both cases, a sense of self-preservation tended to be the cure.

_Even so,_ she thought as she tried to get comfortable on the mat.

Then she felt something drawing near. It felt fast. It felt strong. And most of all, it felt…

_Pink._

Something struck her. Tatsuki grunted at the impact out of habit. She was even happier for the Hierro since she would not have to endure the usual bruising that occurred with such an attack. She looked down at the pink head snuggling her in the innocent hug of the young.

"SPIKEY!" Yachiru shouted as she turned her face up.

The twelve-year old looking girl hopped back. She was smiling from red cheek to red cheek.

"Yachiru, what are you doing here?"

"Me and Kenny came to say 'Bye-Bye' to Baldy! Thanks for fixing him. He was getting grumpy too much but now he's better!

"Where's my candy?" Yachiru demanded, obviously losing her train of thought.

"I've been stuck in here; getting used to my new skin. How would I have candy?"

_There's no way in Hell that I'm gonna give up what candy I do have with me before the mission,_ she thought.

Yachiru blinked a little. She stepped forward to lift one of Tatsuki's arms. She pushed back the sleeve to inspect it. She looked grave and Tatsuki wondered what she was up to.

"Hmm, needs more sun," she declared seriously.

Tatsuki slapped her palm to her face and sighed. Then she felt something nearly cracking her Hierro.

"GYAH!" she yelled as she saw Yachiru biting on her forearm. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET GO!"

She swung the arm up, the Pink Menace still holding tight. She knocked the back of her head against one of the wall hard enough to only get her attention. Yachiru let go of her grip and giggled.

"It's tougher, but you still taste like a porcupine!"

Tatsuki looked at Yachiru. Confusion spread across her face as she thought about what the Pink Menace said.

"What? Hold on… When did you…? How do you…?" Tatsuki stammered.

Yachiru only giggled.

"Bring us back a souvenir. Kenny will be upset if doesn't get to play with the Arrancar. So bring him back something nice like an Espada to play with!" Yachiru exclaimed as she scampered close again.

"Uh…I'll…see what I can do."

Tatsuki eyed her chomped arm and then looked warily at Yachiru.

_When has she tasted me before? Was she always this crazy or is this what Zaraki's view of parenting does? If Child Services existed here, I would so report this._

Yachiru gave Tatsuki a final hug and backed away.

"Well, I need to find Nemu! Thanks for the candy!"

Tatsuki gave a start and padded herself down. However, she couldn't find the emergency rations that she kept on her.

"YOU LITTLE…!" she cried out, only to realize that she yelling at a pink afterimage.

"Oh gods, goddesses, and all of the powers that be, if you are listening," she moaned. "Please save us when she hits puberty."

She shuddered at the image of a buxom, bubbly teenage Yachiru skipping down the road, oblivious to the trail of male corpses and devastation behind her, courtesy of Papa Wolf.

_**Shinigami Women's Association Secret Headquarters, Kuchiki Manor**_

Nemu was sweeping the floor. There was nothing strange about that except that she was almost disobeying an order doing it. And almost disobeying an order was height of her capacity for insubordination.

Her Gigai should not be seen by unauthorized personnel, which was anyone who wasn't involved with the project or a commanding officer. That should mean that she was not allowed to leave the Squad 12 Barracks. However, she had exercised caution and used the tunnels that she helped Yachiru dig to come here. So there should be no problem and therefore she was not disobeying orders. Still, it skirted the boundaries of obedience, and her Hierro was not enough to protect her from whatever punishment her "father" would give her if he found out.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi never made anything that he could not easily subdue. Even the sacred bond a Soul Reaper should have with their Zanpakuto fell in the face of his aggressive caution. Mayuri loved control and he did whatever he could to maintain it.

But she couldn't come to regret coming here. She felt the need to see this place one last time regardless of whatever Mayuri came up with to make this body suffer.

She looked around at the Shinigami Women's Association secret base. She had volunteered to clean it shortly after she joined and had continued cleaning it since. She always found that it was easiest to clean when it was empty and so she often lingered while the others left in order to get it clean for the next meeting. But right now she found herself wishing that one of the other women would walk in and track dirt all over the floor, which had already been clean by most people's standards hours ago.

However, Nemu was the only person in the secret room in the Kuchiki Manor that she had installed. She hoped that someone, even if it was an annoyed Byakuya, would come in. It would give her someone to talk to.

But even if there was someone here, Nemu didn't know what they could talk about.

"Maybe we could talk about our latest efforts in taking photos of some of our fellow Officers for our latest fundraiser. What do you think, Madame President?" Nemu spoke up as she closed her eyes and grasped the topic.

She suddenly realized that Yachiru wasn't there. None of the other members were there. She was alone. She lowered her head, eyes slowly opening. There was a slight flicker of sorrow in her usually emotionless eyes.

_I'm alone._

She had not lingered just to clean. She would have been the last to leave because that was what she wanted.

Nemu allowed her fingers to trace the Hollow hole in her chest. Somehow, it seemed right that it was located where a heart should be. She didn't want to think about the various tests that Captain Kurotsuchi had subjected solely to her on this project. And to make it worse, she had to go with them. Lieutenant Arisawa had given her fellow team members the choice of whether to go or stay, but even the formality of consent was not extended to Nemu.

She supposed that it didn't really matter. There was nothing that she could do. Her programming forbade her from disobeying her "father."

_What am I?_

She sighed as she looked around. Memory imposed scenes of the past on the empty room. The other women who gathered in this room had included her. When she was around them she felt as though she finally belonged, even if only for a few minutes. They didn't treat her as nothing more than a test subject of a piece of autonomous equipment. They treated her like one of them.

And yet they were not here now.

She thought of a word she had heard long ago. She could never really understand what it meant even though she saw demonstrations around her. She thought that it was because it was not in her programming to understand any concept that Captain Kurotsuchi had found to be unimportant. And one of the things he found to be most unimportant was the concept of "friends."

Nemu had tried to understand that foreign concept and at times it had seemed close at hand. In some ways she saw Uryu Ishida as fitting that term, but when he died at a ripe old age his soul had been reincarnated in another form. If she was "normal" she would have thought it unfair and cruel, perhaps even become angry. But she never really could feel anything beyond a cold emptiness that hardly stood out in her life and engineered soul.

She was conditioned since before birth not to mourn and to view all emotion as foolish. But some part of her had resisted her creator's conditioning. She felt something when she found out that Uryu was caught in the cycle of reincarnation. It was known that the Soul Society was merely a stopping point for souls and when their afterlife ended, they were reborn into the World of the Living. She remembered that Uryu said that he would never belong to the Soul Society. He had been right.

She supposed that after Uryu, the only other one who she thought could also fit that term was Yachiru. She appreciated Nemu's efforts for their group. Yachiru often included her in her latest schemes, especially those that defied logic. That, above everything else made Nemu feel…human.

Now, here she was. She was standing in one of the only places in the Soul Society where she felt she belonged. And she was as alone as the day she awoke to life in a lab in the bowels of the Institute. That, above everything else, made her feel as though she never truly belonged.

_I'm alone,_ she thought as she continued sweeping the clean floor.

_I'm all alone._

_**Department of Research and Development**_

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

"You're looking well," Sui-Feng said as she looked down at her slouching Lieutenant.

"Was that sarcasm?"

Tatsuki knew that she should stand. But right now she just felt self-conscious about her Gigai. She didn't want to see Sui-Feng's expression of horror upon seeing the mask fragment and the Hollow hole. Sui-Feng frowned a little and approached her. To Tatsuki's surprise, Sui-Feng sat down. However, the Captain did not sit down in her usual cross-legged slouching position across from her. Instead she sat with her back against the wall, next to her. Sui-Feng lowered her collar to reveal her face.

"Captain?"

"We're alone here."

Tatsuki lifted her head and looked at Sui-Feng who was still smiling at her.

_Is she going to ask me to call her "Mom"? I mean, I did mean it when I told her that she was someone who I would have liked to be my mother. But that doesn't make it easy to call her that._

_Well, it would hurt her if you tried to back out of what you said,_ another voice told her.

"Something's wrong." Tatsuki knew that it wasn't a question. She only nodded.

"I'm…not feeling so good."

"Oh…did Lieutenant Kusajishi steal your candy?"

"Yeah…wait…no. I mean…"

_Damn it Yachiru. When I get back, I'm so going to raid the stash of cookies you keep hidden in the tunnels under the Kuchiki estate,_ she thought.

"Well, she did steal my candy, but that's not what's bothering me."

"So what's wrong, Tatsuki? You're above being worried over a mission like this."

"What about one where the outcome could mean war or peace?"

"Yes. So, what's the problem?"

Tatsuki sighed and brought her knees up to her chest and put her head down.

"I just feel boxed-in."

"Is it the Gigai?"

"I thought it would be. But this Gigai isn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's being kept here. I don't feel like a Soul Reaper. Instead, I feel as if I'm nothing more than one of Squad 12's experiments. With all of these restrictions…I feel as if I'm being used as a mere tool instead of being deployed like a soldier.

"I know all about the whole 'Piece in the Grand Design' argument. But, even when you beat us down with that idea you built us up to be better parts. You allowed us to strengthen our individual functions and find ways to use them to be part of the whole. But here…it just doesn't feel like that and I'm anxious to see how it all turns out."

Tatsuki sighed and lifted her head as she lowered her legs again. She saw Sui-Feng reaching out with her hand and stopping a polite distance away. She realized that she was showing her mask fragment.

"May I?"

Tatsuki looked at Sui-Feng slightly confused until she realized what she was asking. She nodded. The fingers closed the distance and began to run lightly over her mask fragment.

She braced herself for the sense of being violated that she got whenever the Squad 12 scientists poked and prodded at the mask. She was about to slap the hand away, but stopped. She felt the pressure, but it wasn't the same as it was with the examinations. Her posture slackened and her eyes drooped when she found that the lack of panic or sense of violation was heavenly. She barely noticed the warmth on her face.

"You're purring," Sui-Feng stated blandly.

"What?" Tatsuki asked sleepily.

The hand pulled back.

"You were purring like a cat being stroked," Sui-Feng said, suppressing her laughter. However, she did not suppress her smile. Tatsuki snapped to attention.

"I…was…not purring," Tatsuki declared.

"Oh yes you were. You were purring…Like…A…Cute…Little…Black…Kitty…Cat," she said, emphasizing the last words.

"I DO NOT PURR LIKE…!" Tatsuki shouted.

However, before she could finish, she was stopped by a finger swiftly stroking the fangs on one side of her face. Heat rose again and she couldn't stop a satisfied mewing sound escaping.

"Hmm, do Arrancars like being stroked there or is this something new about you?" Sui-Feng teased.

"AGH! DON'T DO THAT!" Tatsuki shouted. A blush rose on her pale face.

"Hmm, now that I think of it, Lady Yoruichi purrs when stroked," Sui-Feng recalled, placing a finger to her chin in mock thoughtfulness.

"I am not interested in what Miss Cat Lady likes! DON'T TOUCH ME THERE!" Tatsuki got to her feet and pointed at Sui-Feng. "And don't even…"

"Oh come on, you know you liked it." Sui-Feng gave Tatsuki a wink as she lifted her mask to cover her lower face.

Tatsuki tried to respond, but could only make guttural sounds. Before she was able to say something someone spoke.

"Uh…is this a bad time?"

She felt as though a ton of stones had suddenly dropped into her stomach as she finally noticed some familiar spiritual energy. She looked to the doorway and saw Ichigo standing in the doorway. Her shocked eyes locked onto Sui-Feng who only gave her another wink while clearly smiling from behind her mask.

_Great, now she's embarrassing me…just like a mother. What have I gotten myself into?_

Tatsuki moaned a little and slumped a little. She felt as though she just wanted to sink into the floor.

"Lieutenant Arisawa, it is time for your final examination," Unohana said as she came into view from behind Ichigo. "However, as you seem to be occupied at the moment, I shall attend to Third Seat Madarame."

"I'll leave you to say your 'Goodbyes,'" Sui-Feng as she nimbly got to her feet. "I'll see you at the departure."

As she passed Tatsuki, who was still slumping in embarrassment, she turned towards her. Then she grabbed her in a light, but definite hug. Tatsuki looked almost as surprised as Ichigo, whose eyes nearly popped out of his head and his jaw dropped. Even Captain Unohana, who was usually calm and collective, looked surprised. It was as though Captain Kurotsuchi had decided to sing karaoke in public or Rikichi was dancing with a living Arrancar. This was just one of those things that no one ever expected to see.

Sui-Feng released her hold. Both women gathered themselves and Tatsuki could tell that she was smiling at her.

"Once you are done here, please come to the examination room immediately," Unohana requested and turned to leave.

"Stay strong," Sui-Feng whispered and put a hand on her shoulder. "Remember who you are."

Sui-Feng released her hold and calmly walked to the door. She stopped next to Ichigo and looked at the frozen Captain in disgust. She muttered something under her breath before walking out. She closed the door behind her. The sound brought Tatsuki out of her own surprise. Her embarrassment picked the only valid target.

"Ichigo, pick up your mouth before one of Mayuri's experiments decides to crawl inside and make you its home."

She put a hand under Ichigo's chin and pushed. There was a clicking sound as his teeth clashed each other with the suddenly shouting mouth. The sensation helped to bring him out of his own surprise. He shook his head and rubbed his chin.

"What…? You…her…uh…are you…?"

"Don't even go there. I honestly thought you had more sense than that. She was just saying 'Goodbye.'" Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

"But…that was Sui-Feng…right?" Ichigo looked over his shoulder at the door.

"Of course it was."

"But…she hugged you. She hugged you. Why did she hug you? I mean you said…"

Tatsuki shook her head. It was obvious that Ichigo was trying to make sense of what happened. And he was doing a magnificent job at failing.

"And I meant what I said," Tatsuki said as she slapped her palm to her face.

_Are all men this stupid? Gods, why did it have to go there?_

"Okay, okay, then why did…? I mean, I don't hug Kiyone."

"Fine, not that it's any of your business, but she kind of adopted me."

"Huh? I…I don't understand."

"Well, it's nothing official. At least, I don't think it is. It's just something that we agreed on. Do you understand?"

"Not really. It sounds a bit weird, but…"

Tatsuki dug her knee into his stomach. Ichigo doubled over from the force. He looked at her in surprise. He hadn't felt a spike of Reiatsu this strong since the last time he pissed Nel off in one of their arguments. The realization that he thought of Nel and not Rukia in regards to the Reiatsu he felt made him pause, despite the pain.

_I guess it really does work,_ Ichigo thought as he tried to fight back the pain.

Tatsuki frowned as she pulled her leg back. She agreed that whatever it was she was developing with Sui-Feng was not exactly normal. But it felt real and she was not going to allow it to be derided. Although, perhaps kneeing Ichigo in the stomach like that was a bit too much.

_Oh well,_ she thought. _It's too late to take it back._

"Listen. This isn't really the time to be talking about my personal life, even if it was your business."

Ichigo straightened up. As was expected, he was quick to recover. That was one of the advantages of having a Captain for a friend: you could express yourself with violence on them and not have to worry about actually hurting them.

"I would say that as a friend I have certain obligations to look out for you and make sure you don't get too badly hurt," Ichigo said and sighed. "But you're right. Now's not a good time. You'll be leaving soon."

"Yeah, and to be honest, I'm glad. Being cooped up here like one of Kurotsuchi's guinea pigs is driving me nuts."

"I bet. After the Winter War, he wanted to examine me. Fortunately Old Man Yama let Squad 4 fix me up instead. The Old Man could be a pompous asshole, but at least I think he tried to do the best he could with this place," Ichigo said, thinking about the Soul Society.

"Yeah, and Captain-Commander Kuchiki really looks up to the standards his predecessor set. So, are you here to say 'Goodbye'?"

"Yeah, so I guess goodbye, good luck, and all of that."

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. His eyes slipped to her mask fragment. When Tatsuki realized what Ichigo was looking at, she tried to cover it as best she could with her hands. Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

_She's probably tired of that sadistic asshole poking it and a bunch of other places as well,_ Ichigo thought angrily.

Ichigo could think of redeeming qualities for Yamamoto despite the number of atrocities he signed off for. However, he could think of very few, or rather none, for Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He looked at Tatsuki. He thought back to what Rangiku told him. Tatsuki was the only friend from the old days he had left for now. He didn't know why he had the need to ask her, but he just had to.

"Do you think I waited too long with Rukia?"

"Yes."

"Wow! That was rather blunt."

"Honestly, I thought that Rukia was going to bag you much sooner."

"When?"

"When she knocked you over the head and dragged you out of class saying that you needed to see the school nurse. Though I was kinda rooting for…" Tatsuki grinned and Ichigo blushed when he realized what she was hinting at. Her face became serious. "I hope she's still alive and that we'll find her."

"I know that Rukia is still alive. Don't ask me how I know, I just know. But I don't want to lose another friend. Even if it's a trade or something…I…I don't think I could stand it. Just…take care of yourself, Tatsuki."

He put a hand on her shoulder. Tatsuki felt a spark of anger rise in her, but then it subsided. She knew what the touch meant and she put her own hand on his shoulder in return. She looked at him in the eyes and smiled.

"Is it wrong that I've wanted something like this since the day I put your head through a window?"

Ichigo let out a small laugh at the memory. He patted her on the shoulder.

"I suppose not. Just promise me that you'll at least come back. If you find Rukia, bring her back as well."

"I'll do what I can."

Ichigo pulled her into a hug that Tatsuki returned.

"Thank you," he whispered.

They released and Ichigo turned to go. As he opened the door, he turned and gave Tatsuki a wave. She waved back and grinned as he left.

"I guess it's my turn to rescue the Princess."

_**Ikkaku Madarame**_

Ikkaku sat on the floor across from his Captain and poured a saucer of sake.

Yachiru was busy munching on some candy that she got from somewhere. Ikkaku had a sneaking suspicion that he knew exactly where she got her little snack.

"I'm surprised that you would come and see me, sir," he said as he placed the saucer in front of Kenpachi.

"Yeah, I normally wouldn't have bothered coming, but Yachiru insisted that I come to visit," Kenpachi admitted. He drained the saucer with one sip as usual but he didn't place it on the floor.

"You got that right, Kenny. Besides, I figured that Baldy could use some cheering up since he became such a gloomy grump. But he's better now."

"Uh…thanks, I guess."

"No problem, Baldy."

Ikkaku sighed and poured some sake into his own saucer. For a moment he thought of pouring out a saucer for Yumichika and Iba. Then he remembered that they would no longer drink sake together, except in his memories. It was funny how one moment one could forget, only for the next moment to bring reality crashing over you like a wave.

"You miss them, don't you?" Kenpachi asked. He sighed when he saw Ikkaku's downcast face. "A warrior must always be prepared for loss for Death always looms over us."

"You're more philosophical than ever, Captain," Ikkaku said managing a fake grin.

"Nah, that's just something that Captain Frowny-Face told him," Yachiru piped in as she licked a candy wrapper.

"Who's 'Captain Frowny-Face'?" Ikkaku asked.

_Man, her nicknames have become even more nonsensical over the years, _he thought.

"She means Captain Nakamura," Kenpachi replied with a wave of his hand. "I don't really understand all of the crap he goes on about. All that matters is that Yumichika and Iba died bravely in battle."

"Yeah…"

_And it was my fault with Yumichika,_ he thought as he drained the sake in his own saucer.

"Tch…I wish I was going. I could really have some fun over there. Do me a favor and don't get greedy and hog all of the good opponents for yourself." Kenpachi grinned at the thought.

"Yeah, be sure to save some for us," Yachiru cheered as she popped up next to Ikkaku.

"You seem very confident that you will end up there sir…and Lieutenant. You may not even get to go to Hueco Mundo at all. That is all this mission is: determining whether or not there will be war."

"Hmm, you may have a good point. In that case, bring an Arrancar back as a souvenir for me to have fun with. I would prefer someone as strong as the Primera, never even got a chance to see that one. If that one's around, tie him up and pack him for me."

Kenpachi licked his lips at the thought of facing a powerful enemy.

"From what I heard, the Primera was kinda lazy. I doubt he would be that fun to fight."

"Cue-Ball does have a good point, Kenny. What fun would fighting a sleepy-head be?"

"In that case, find someone like that Nnoitora guy I told you about. Bring them back as a souvenir for me to fight. That Yammy was too much talk and not enough steel." Kenpachi grinned at the memories of the Espada.

_Oh yeah, tell that to Renji,_ Ikkaku thought. _But then again, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Shit happens and often times we don't decide how we go out._

"YAY!" Yachiru cheered. "I remember Spoon-Head. He was a lot of fun."

"You do realize that you never even fought him, Lieutenant? So how can you say he was fun?" Ikkaku asked as he reached for the bottle.

Yachiru glared at him and then jumped on him. Before Ikkaku had time to react, she bit his head, again. Ikkaku only screamed out of habit and then he realized he couldn't feel her teeth.

"Aw, I can't make your head bleed," Yachiru moaned through her mouthful of Gigai. She unlatched herself and stepped back as Ikkaku wiped away the drool on his head. "I tried the same thing with Porcupine, but her skin was too tough. She still tastes the same too," Yachiru mused with that airy look she got.

Ikkaku had learned long ago not to try asking about the Lieutenant's obsession with biting people. The main reason was that even Yachiru didn't really know where that little quirk came from. Then there was the little detail that whenever someone asked her a question that she had to really think about, she just answered it by biting them.

He was starting to think that the very idea that she would outgrow that little habit was very, very unlikely and he shouldn't hold his breath on it.

"Yeah, I'm kinda glad about that," Ikkaku muttered as he rubbed the unbroken Hierro.

"Anyways, Yachiru and I better get going. She was hoping to see Nemu, but she ain't here. And we're going on a mission to the World of the Living," Kenpachi said as he stood up.

_That's strange,_ Ikkaku thought. _He doesn't sound too excited. But why shouldn't he? I thought that Squad 11 was only dispatched to the World of the Living when things got really interesting. I could ask him, but then again it's not really anything I can help him out with._

"I understand. Thanks for visiting and the sake," Ikkaku said and bowed his head.

"Tch…whatever…I just wanted to make sure that you're not making a fool of yourself. You are in Squad 11 after all. Oh…and while we're on the subject. Don't make us look bad by having that little twerp from Squad 4 save your ass," Kenpachi threatened.

Even though many in Squad 11 had a certain respect for Unohana for her quiet way of scaring them into line, Ikkaku felt that he could make Hanataro faint just by breathing on him. The very notion of being saved by Hanataro was extremely nauseating.

"Don't worry sir. I will not let that happen," Ikkaku said, grinning. Kenpachi nodded his head and smiled in return.

"Just be sure to leave your mark. If you come back without killing at least ten Arrancars, don't bother coming back." Kenpachi chuckled.

Ikkaku nodded and raised his saucer of sake.

"I'll drink to that."

_**Hanataro Yamada**_

Hanataro knelt on the floor of his assigned room. He looked at the three belts laid out before him. Each was laden with pouches and he was double-checking them. He left two pouches on each belt empty in case he needed to carry something else. The other pouches were filled with supplies to supplement his healing Kido. One belt would be around his waist and the other two would be crossed over his chest. They would be concealed under his uniform, but would remain in easy access because of modifications he made to the jacket.

He had no time or energy to put into becoming an improved fighter all of the time. The Arrancar Reiatsu was more violent and less prone to being bound as his Gigai converted it. He had found that even the simplest healing Kido had to be relearned.

Not, it was that he had to remake them to adapt to the Arrancar Reiatsu.

He wished he had more time to see if they could really work. He didn't even know if the Arrancars really had anything like a developed system of healing Kido that he could use as a basis to strengthen the healing abilities he uncovered. Aizen hadn't been the type to consider his followers' well-being a high priority.

That was why he was bringing his own pharmacy. He wanted to have a backup in case none of his inventive healing abilities worked. The pouches contained herbs, medicines, and chemicals he had assembled with the aid of Akon and Nemu proven to serve the same purposes to Arrancars as with Shinigami and Humans.

He was contemplating on whether or not he would need a fourth belt when someone knocked on the door. He lifted his head from his inspections. He recognized the faint Reiatsu leaking through the door. It seemed to curl around him as he sat there.

"C-c-come…come in, Captain," Hanataro stammered, still on his knees.

Retsu Unohana opened the door and looked at him. She smiled.

"Hello, Hanataro," she said as she knelt next to him. "I see that you're nearly finished packing."

"Yeah, I was…I was just making sure that I had everything." He averted his eyes back to the belts. He felt self-conscious about his mask fragment and the Hollow hole. He tried to keep his Captain from looking at them. However, he could feel Unohana's gaze on him.

"There's no need to be ashamed of your Gigai."

"But I just don't like it," he cried out and flinched. He worried that he sounded as if he was whining.

Unohana giggled a little at that. Hanataro looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. She looked at him and smiled her warm and gentle smile.

"I'm being silly again, aren't I?" He sighed and wished that he could melt into the floor.

Unohana nodded. Then she did something that Hanataro did not expect and yet feared. She put her hand on his mask fragment and began to stroke it. He felt at ease with the touch. It reminded him of when he was little and Unohana would stroke his head just like this whenever he had a nightmare.

It reminded him of when they first met.

"Hanataro," she whispered. "I'm so proud that you didn't back down from this. It's good to see that you're willing to try to fly on your own. I felt proud of you when you helped Ichigo and his friends to rescue Rukia and was willing to stand up to Captain Kuchiki so that Ganju Shiba could have a chance to escape with Rukia. I felt proud of you again when you volunteered to go to Hueco Mundo with us during the Winter War and again during the Second Aizen War when you willingly ran into the burning barracks to rescue as many of your fellow comrades as you could.

"Most of all, I feel proud of you in the quiet moments in the quiet moments you spent sitting by a sick patient or helping a member in another Squad to recover from their injuries." She smiled at him. Her voice was filled with quiet pride. Hanataro blushed and tried to look away. However, her fingers kept him from doing so.

"I know, but…"

"But that's who you are," she told him in a firmer voice. "You are Hanataro Yamada of Squad 4. Never forget that you have friends who are proud of you and I'm proud of you."

Hanataro looked at the belts he stocked fighting back the tears.

"I'm not the best fighter. I would be useless to them in combat."

"Those who fight always need someone to heal them. Never let anyone tell you that worth is measured in only one way. We know our worth. The ignorance of others is not our shame but theirs."

There was no condemnation. She was not vengeful even as others tried to trample on her pride. She did not raise her voice or sword like they did. She was serene, like the gentle stream that carves a gash in the earth.

Hanataro looked into her eyes. There was only kindness and pride in them.

Ever since she found him shivering and starving in an abandoned alley, she had always been there for him. When he entered the Academy, she had supported him. When he graduated, she was the first to approach him with a position in Squad 4. Now, she would not be there to support him. He knew that it would have to happen, but he still felt afraid.

"I'm…I'm just so afraid," he whispered.

"Hush, I know. But there's nothing to be afraid of. You have good people and they have you."

He didn't know what to say. Instead he allowed his head to lean on her. He had thought she was an angel that day, or a goddess. He still felt that way.

_**Memorial Hill**_

_**Day of Departure**_

Ichigo Kurosaki sighed as he watched Tatsuki talking with the other members of her team. Captain-Commander Kuchiki stood next to the Garganta Generator while Mayuri and one of his assistants, Akon, were working on some final adjustments. He sighed and looked at the Memorial. The names engraved on the cold stone rose in his mind like phantoms from the fog.

_Please, don't force me to see her name on there as well,_ he prayed to whatever deities were listening. _Don't force me to endure another loss._

_Oh, but the gods are cruel,_ a familiar raspy voice said.

_I know. Now shut up. Or do you need me to teach you another lesson?_

_Spoken like a true king. Just don't let it go to your head._

Ichigo sighed and turned from the monument. He looked to where the new team stood. He found it hard to believe that only four years before he watched Rukia's team leaving the Soul Society for Hueco Mundo. Now, he was watching another of his closest friends preparing to travel the same path.

He was not surprised that Orihime's Reiatsu wasn't present. However, that did nothing to relieve the pain he felt. He hoped that she would come. He was sure that Tatsuki would have liked to see Orihime before she left, but it seemed as though that wasn't going to happen.

Thoughts of the broken girl brought his eyes back to the Memorial. No one had believed it when he destroyed the weapon that was placed there so long ago. He thought now, how much the Sokyoku had symbolized much of the Soul Society's problems. The Sokyoku had been a powerful weapon originally meant to be used as a measure of last resort to defend the Seireitei and the Soul Society. However, as time went on, it had been turned into a guillotine to be used to execute their people.

And he destroyed it with ease. He didn't realize what he was doing at the time. He only did what he had to in order to save Rukia. However, he also had a hand with the Sokyoku's replacement, a cold monument of stone with the names of the dead.

He had replaced wrath with grief.

He looked to the Captain-Commander. He was standing with Chojiro and Izumi. His face was as cold and expressionless as ever. Ichigo felt the resentment towards Byakuya rise in him.

_It's just like back then. He's standing there with the same expression he wore when he watched Rukia being prepared for her own obliteration. I remember thinking that it was because he didn't care, but it was worse than that. He did care. He cared for Rukia and yet he felt that he had to stand aside anyway. What kind of brother would do that? _

_But then, how much have I changed since then? A part of me wants to jump through the Garganta before it closes. That would really put them in a bind._

Ichigo smiled at the thought. Kiyone saw the expression and glared at him.

"I know," he whispered. "You don't have to say it, Kiyone."

"Good," Kiyone answered. "I would hate to have to explain to the Captain-Commander why I allowed you to do something stupid."

Ichigo sighed and looked as Sui-Feng was talking with Tatsuki to the side. He remembered how the usually stoic Captain had hugged her. He still couldn't believe it. Sui-Feng had the lower part of her face covered again and he couldn't hear what they were talking about.

_It's not anyone's business but their own,_ he thought.

He saw that Captain Nakamura and Captain Rikichi were watching the two women, one of whom was their superior in The Vanguard. He knew that they were probably thinking what he thought when he saw them. He saw that Nakamura did not look very interested and it was confirmed when Nakamura simply looked away. Rikichi, however, looked disgusted.

He knew that Rikichi would probably complain that Sui-Feng had shown too much weakness. It seemed as though despite his tough talk, Rikichi had become a whiner. But Ichigo didn't think it was weakness at all. He thought that whatever was going on between Sui-Feng and Tatsuki was something honest and real. He thought that it was sad that no one like Rikichi, twisted from bitterness, could understand that in that kind of bond laid true strength.

It was the type of bond that led Ichigo into battles that he knew he should have lost. It was sad that no matter how many times those lessons were proven so many people refused to learn them.

_I want that back,_ he thought with a sudden blaze of passion. _I want that kind of bond again. And Rukia is the only one left with whom I can have it._

"We're just about ready," Mayuri said.

Mayuri and the other scientists and assistants began their work at the machine while the team assembled. Nemu picked up her back pack that was somehow larger on the inside than on the outside. Hanataro padded himself down for some reason that Ichigo didn't understand. Ikkaku emptied a sake gourd and tossed it to Izumi.

The last time that the Garganta had been opened, the Captain-Commander had made a speech to the departing team, but Ichigo knew that there would be no need for speeches here. These four knew what was at stake and they did not need speeches to remind them. Instead, the stoic Captain-Commander merely stood aside.

The four who would be going lined up in front of the area between the two rods that would cause the Garganta to form. There was silence except for the wind. He saw Tatsuki turn her head to the sun, as though saying "Goodbye."

_She probably is. She knows the risks and yet she's still willing to go. She hasn't changed one bit._

He smiled a little. Even though Orihime wasn't here, he knew that she would be proud of her first friend and protector.

_She's the most whole out of all of us now,_ he thought, fighting back tears. _She formed that bond with someone while I was afraid of doing the same with Rukia, or keeping with the others._

_My time of heroics is over. It's time that she shows what she's made of._

The Generator hummed. The air between the poles sparked and shimmered. Then, it was ripped apart, like a curtain, a sight that still gave him pause after all of this time. Where there had once been blue skies, there was now a gaping black hole. Ichigo fought the urge to simply jump into that darkness. However, he stopped himself. A mixture of relief and grief came over him.

_Well Toshiro, I guess I have changed a bit._

He saw that the Captain-Commander merely stood to the side and saluted the members of the Recovery Team. The four approached the Garganta and returned the salute. Ichigo smiled.

"Go get 'em, Tatsuki," he whispered.

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

Tatsuki Arisawa looked into the yawning black mouth before her. A part of her was afraid to walk into that darkness, but another part longed to. She didn't know if it was simply her desire to get out from under Mayuri and finally get the answers to the questions that made this mission necessary or if it was something else. She swallowed hard.

"Steady now," Ikkaku whispered from beside her. "We have to do this even though we may not want to."

_I know that,_ she thought. _But I'm afraid that once we go through it we may never see the sun again._

"Lieutenant Arisawa, shall we go?" Nemu asked blankly.

Tatsuki wanted to hold off just a little bit longer. She wanted to look back again and allow the sun to beat on her face one last time. However, she knew that if she did that, then she would lose heart. She looked over at Hanataro and saw that he was afraid. She put a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her in surprise and she only smiled at him.

"It's going to be alright, Officer Yamada. We have to trust in each other and ourselves."

"I know, but…"

"I understand," she said and gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

Tatsuki looked into the abyss again and allowed the expression to fade.

"When you look into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you," she whispered.

She couldn't remember who said it, but she knew that it was one of those German philosophers. She could now see the truth in those words as the darkness spread before her.

_I will not back down now. I will not fail my comrades. I will not fail those who are waiting for my help. I will not fail those who are at my back. I will not fail those who I have left behind. Sui-Feng would be disappointed in me if I did and I cannot let her down under any circumstance._

She took a deep breath and took a step forward. The rest of her team did the same as well, and so it began. Only when they had crossed the threshold into the gaping maw did she allow herself one last look back. She watched as the Garganta closed behind them. It was like a closing mouth killing the warmth and light of the sun. She knew that as soon as the Garganta closed they could only go forward. She saw Sui-Feng through the shrinking passage give a final wave to her. She returned it.

_Goodbye, Mother, _she thought, giving her final farewell.

She turned to face forward again. She was certain that her farewell had been heard.

"Let's go," she ordered.

She felt the Garganta close. The wind was silenced. The sight of family, home, and the sun was gone. There was only the road ahead.

She led and they followed her into the darkness.

_Farewell, Sunlit Lands._

**End of Chapter 3**

**A.N.: In many regards this is a closing and an opening chapter. It's closing on Ichigo's story of heroics and is opening on Tatsuki's time on having a more active role. This does not mean that Ichigo won't have a role to play. He'll always have some role, but now it's not being "The Hero" but rather the Captain.**

**The chapter title and the overall tone share echoes with the **_**Bleach**_** chapter and episode, "Goodbye, Halcyon Days," which is in my (MJLCoyoteStarrk) top 5 favorites for **_**Bleach**_**. This is essentially Tatsuki's farewell to the Soul Society as she heads off for Hueco Mundo. Like Orihime, she is going for the sake of others. However, there's also a tone of strength and confidence to Tatsuki that Orihime lacked.**

**It should be noted that this is not a Tatsuki x Ichigo story. So, there is not going to be any Ichigo and Tatsuki romance.**

**It should also be noted that both Eduard Kassel and I are fans of George R. R. Martin. So, expect harsh and dark things to occur.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	5. Chapter 4: Beyond Glory

**Authors' Warning: **This chapter contains a scene of graphic, loosely sexual, violence and brutality

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 4: Beyond Glory**

Screams.

All that the young man could hear around him were screams and laughter echoing off the stones. As his attention focused the sounds of flesh being beaten and the scraping of metal against stone joined the macabre choir.

It was not unexpected. It was what Carros was here for. He was to undergo the Third Rite in his passage to become a man and a True Son of the Mantis. He watched from the side with his fellow initiates as the females of the latest brood were being chained to the stone slabs where they would be marked as Chattel.

The atmosphere was stifling but he found that not everyone was struck dumb by either wariness or reverence.

"Won't those Nels just shut the fuck up?" one of the other males growled.

"They're giving me a headache with their squealing," another agreed.

"I don't know," another replied softly. "I kinda like it."

Carros only stood watching. His silence was hardly unusual. His eyes shifted from the Proctors at their work to take in the chamber itself. Everyone knew about the Refinery, but the men were reluctant to talk about it. He supposed they wanted it to have that effect on them in order to limit their ability to prepare for the sacred work they were about to do.

The chamber was divided up by a series of trenches filled with burning coals lined up perpendicular to the far wall. Each section had two slabs of stone, one larger in the middle of the area and a smaller closer to each fire pit. The stench was noxious and smoke from the pits and torches swirled through the air, a plaything of their Reiatsu.

The light from the torches anchored to the wall revealed some things though. He saw the small blood-and-birth-slime-covered bodies writhing in an attempt to free themselves from the grips of the Proctors. These Sons who had fetched them from the Birthing Pits to be brought here now secured them with a calm measured grace highlighted the violence radiating from the scene.

Aside from the stone slabs and the fire pits and the braced torches, there was only one other decoration in the room. It was a large, crudely-carved relief carved into the wall. It showed the figure of a six-armed man with horns in the shape of the crescent moon. Each of its clawed hand was holding a scythe. Carros's eyes drifted to the single carved eye. He could feel its contempt and glee and had to resist the urge to take a step back at the too wide smile carved to split that long face.

_The True Son never flees the sight of the Great Mantis,_ he thought.

However, he realized that believing it to be crude could have been a hasty assumption. It was not just the smoke that partially obscured the image. It was also splattered with nearly a century's worth of bloody rituals that had long since stained the stones; thus giving the carving a sinister presence.

However, he still felt afraid of that cruel, leering face.

He had passed the Rite of Strength and the Rite of Courage with such sufficiency that he earned the praises of the Proctors. But they had warned him that the Third Rite, the Rite of Will, broke many who had conquered the first two. On the outside he deferred to the Proctors' wisdom, but inwardly he believed that he would exceed their expectations here as well.

Now, one of the Proverbs floated mockingly to the forefront of his mind:

_"The arrogance of youth withers before the assuredness of experience."_

"You follow," a voice cut in, bringing him out of his anxious introspection.

He turned his head to see a broad-chested Proctor, brown-bearded and white Hollow-hide apron stained with blood, pointing at him. He suddenly realized that the Warriors were withdrawing after they had finished chaining the females to the slabs. The great carving of the Lord Mantis seemed to leer down on them, displaying a mouth of blood-stained fangs.

As the older males passed, some offered encouragement and others mocking grins.

"Don't worry. The Great Mantis will lend you His strength to carry out His will," one said.

"Tch…you better hope your cocks don't get too big to where ya can't do your duty," another jeered.

"I hope ya don't faint like a fucking Pantera at the sight of blood."

"Ha! I remember when I performed the Rite. The Nel squealed so loud that I nearly skipped to the final act just to get it to shut up."

He felt that it was some unofficial custom for the older members to offer up such words of encouragement and jeers to those who were about to go through this Rite. But some were actually reminiscing about their own experiences. He half turned towards the departing Warriors, desperate for the voice of experience.

"Now," the Proctor barked, stopping him where he stood.

The doors closed behind the Warriors with a thud.

Carros allowed the instinct to obey take over and he stepped forward. He responded well to orders, whether it was from his father or from his instructors. He realized that he was sweating and it wasn't just from the heat that radiated out of the fire pits. Today would determine whether or not he could stand as a true man in society.

_I can't fail,_ he thought.

The others were also collected by the other Proctors. Their light conversations dying as their focus shifted to the task ahead. He paid little attention to the others as his perception narrowed; focus sharpening to a file point. He only saw the Proctor's back, which was as clean as the apron was bloodied. That meant that he never turned his back to the work that was done here. The realization brought both a sense of respect and a chill down Carros's spine.

Then that white field was gone and replaced with the sight that he had found himself dreading.

The stone slabs were of sandstone with a pebbled texture. Their surfaces were stained a blackish brown from the blood and nightsoil that collected on them over the decades since the city of had been founded. He idly wondered what the chambers in the capital city of Tesla were like with nearly two centuries worth of suffering caked to the stones. He touched the surface as if inspecting when it was partly bracing himself.

The combination of blood and dirt was indeed caked to the surface. The coating cracked a little under the pressure. He had a feeling that it was against the Creeds to clean this room. Another of the Proverbs floated to his mind:

_"Keep a beast beneath the Sons by any means necessary."_

His eyes went to the figure that was chained down as a cry reached his ears. The female's limbs were stretched taut by the shackles and her head was held down by a chain pulled tight over her brow.

Aside from some of the pet Nels he had glimpsed he had never really seen a female, much less get a chance to inspect one up close. The chest looked normal, but he recalled the swelling that would come there later. His eyes went to the area between the legs. Despite the birthing blood that still caked to the Nel, he could make out the slit of her sex. He stepped to the side to take a look at its face. He didn't think there would be much difference. He had seen fair-looking males with soft features and even the newly-born males sometimes looked similar to the females, except for the organ hanging between the legs.

He looked at her face. There was nothing really special about it except that her eyes were peering through the brown hair caked to its face.

It was…

"It's time to begin," the Proctor said. "The poker is first."

Carros turned to look at the man. The Proctor gestured with his chin to the fire pit that divided them from the next slab over. There was a stone table placed near it. A row of gleaming tools were laid out on its blood-splotched surface.

He walked over to the table, frowning, and picked up the poker. It was similar to the kinds that were used for fire ending, except there was no hook. And it was too small to be used on a pit. He thought that it was more like a pick than a poker. Unlike the other tools it was clean.

"Do I heat it?" Carros asked.

"Not yet. You will use it later to stop the bleeding. But for this part you want the blood. First…the eyes."

Carros nodded, concealing a swallow, and returned to his place. He looked down on the female as she looked at him. The eyes weren't those of a half-wit. But they lacked the rational fear of him standing over her with the gleaming spike.

_What do you expect? She was born less than an hour ago._

The weakness was contemptuous, but he didn't feel the rage that the Histories inspired in him.

"Well?"

"Do I start with the right or the left?" he asked to cover his hesitation.

"It doesn't matter."

There was no more delaying. He reached down and brushed the drying brown hair aside. The eyes were as brown as the hair, but they also had green specks in them. He almost jumped when she yipped. He realized that he had brushed the mask fragment around her ear.

He could feel the Proctor's gaze on him: weighing, judging. He brought the sharp tip to the eye. There was a brief moment's hesitation and then he pushed down. The tip sank into the eye. Fluid gushed out and the Nel screamed in pain and surprise as her eye was gouged out. He felt the tip hit the hard but thin bone underneath. The female blinked, unable to comprehend why he had done such a thing.

She closed her other eye. She screamed and struggled against her bonds. He realized that sound was not just from her. It was coming from all of the other Nels as well and it was mixed with the laughter of some of the other males who were delighting in this act of cruelty and display of superiority. His grip tightened as his hand moved, unintentionally twisting the poker in the ruined eye. Her shriek of pain became louder.

"Good, draw out the pain, but not too much. This is a task even if it's pleasurable."

_This is pleasurable?_

He wondered how anyone could take pleasure in hearing those screams. But based on the laughter it was obvious that some did. He pulled the poker out. The female continued her struggles and even tried to turn her face away from him. However, the chain that held her head down hindered her attempts. Any doubt that he was dangerous was now gone.

He knew the pleasure that came from spilling blood. The ecstasy he got from having an opponent, defeated, and at his mercy, was the best kind of ecstasy. But this wasn't like that. He wished that she would fire a Cero at him. That would make this better for him.

He put his free hand around the eye and tugged on her eyebrow and upper cheek, forcing the flaps of skin that covered her eye to move. He slowly sank the point into the watering and terrified eye.

The next part was a blur. When he became aware of what was going on he was standing in front of the Nel again. However, the poker was gone. He looked at his hand and saw that he was holding a pair of pliers. He looked at the dull points and experimentally opened and closed them. He looked at the Nel. The unnerving eyes were gone. Blood welled up and pooled in the empty sockets of that whimpering face.

He wondered if she could still cry.

"The front twelve teeth are next," the Proctor told him.

He nodded numbly. There was a flare of Reiatsu that was abruptly silenced. A fire pit some distance away flared up as fuel was poured on. Someone had failed.

However, since it was a failure of eager zeal and not of mercy, that one would be allowed to try again after spending time examining the proper way of performing the Rite. If it was a failure of mercy, then that candidate would be castrated and become little more than a male Nel. Most of those who were doomed to that fate were known to chew out their wrists so that they could die as a male than live as an abomination.

He noticed that his female's Reiatsu was also weak, but it was only a broodling. The weakest females were killed in the Birthing Pit to be butchered for the livestock. It occurred to him that was a mercy.

He reached down with his free hand and forced her jaws apart. He was surprised at how dry her mouth was. But it made sense. Nels were not allowed to have anything to drink before this ritual since it was a mandate that the first thing that all Nels should drink were blood and tears.

She tried to bite down on his invasive hand, but she couldn't. Blood poured out of her sockets and onto the stone slab.

He put the pliers to one of the marked teeth and clamped them down. He pulled and then twisted the pliers and gave an even harder pull. She screamed each time he successfully pulled out one of the marked teeth. Blood flowed from the sockets where the teeth had been and onto his hands. It felt different from the blood he felt in a fight.

_Is this what a woman's blood feels like?_

He didn't pay any attention to it. Instead he continued his work. Pull. Twist. Harder pull. Another tooth was taken. Soon her screams became hoarse and sounded more like a whimper. When the last marked tooth was out, Carros stepped back. Blood ringed her ruined mouth and she began to cough and spit. It was distracted from the pain by trying not to drown in its blood.

_You stupid bitch that would be the smartest thing you could do._

He glared at her.

"The thumbs are next," the Proctor told him.

Carros turned on the spot and walked over to the table. His stride showed the heat he was feeling, but the Proctor thought it the heat of excitement and not of self-loathing. He replaced the blood-drenched tool. For a moment he had the urge to toss the damn tool into the fire. However, he only put the pliers down on the table and picked up the clippers.

_Like pruning a branch,_ he thought.

He walked back to the Nel and grabbed one hand. She tried to close her hand, but he applied pressure to the center of her palm. Her hand opened and he put the blades on either side of the thumb as close to where the digit and the hand met as he could get.

_Like pruning a branch. Like pruning a branch. Like pruning a branch._

He squeezed the handles. The blades sank into the flesh and caught on the bone. He released his grip enough for the blades to come free and squeezed harder. There was a snapping sound as the bone was cut. He did the same with the other hand.

_She'll never be able to hold anything properly,_ he thought bitterly.

"That includes the big toes," the Proctor said.

Carros didn't know about that part. However he only nodded.

_Obedience to the Law is always a virtue. Obedience to the Great Mantis's Will is always a virtue._

There was no more hesitation as he performed the same act on the big toes.

He looked down on the creature on the slab.

_If it could curl up it would._

He felt ill as he picked up the four digits with his free hand. However, that illness was being replaced with a numb calm. He heard someone other than one of the females gagging. He looked to where the sound was coming from and recognized the male who had been enjoying the screams earlier. However, he wasn't really gagging. He was preparing.

The man planted a blob of spit into one of his subject's ruined eyes and let out a cold chuckle.

_What am I missing? Am I supposed to be enjoying this?_

He looked at the digits in his hand and tossed them into the fire. He put the clippers down and picked up the last tool. It was a small knife with a small blade. He had heard of these. The swords that the Sons used were not allowed to have an edge this sharp. However, it was said that the First Son used such an edge. Then again, Delgado was considered as brilliant as he was insane.

The female was whimpering. He looked and saw that she had been freed of the chains that had held her down. The Proctor looked at him and nodded. He knew what was next. His father had shown him the scar on a Chattel when he had asked why they didn't walk. Carros nodded in return as he approached the Nel.

He looked at her in disgust.

_At least try and run you weak bitch. AT LEAST TRY AND RUN! YOU STUPID CUNT, RUN!_

He grabbed her on either side and dragged her to the edge. He pulled her down onto the floor and she landed hard. The creature howled and spat out blood. It coughed and tremors ran through its thin frame. He knelt and pulled at one leg as it tried to curl into a ball.

_YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN! FINE…_

"THEN DON'T RUN!" he roared as he put the blade to her ankle.

_I JUST WANT OUT OF THIS! I WANT THIS TO END!_

He slashed her ankle as deep as he could. He could feel tendons and muscle and bone give way as he severed the ankle. He did the same to the other ankle.

"There," he snarled. "Now you can crawl like the beast you really are."

The Proctor was telling him what came next, but he ignored it. He knew. And he did not care to listen anymore. Nothing mattered except finishing his task. He knelt in front of her and dug the fingers of his left hand, which was clutching the scalpel, into her bleeding mouth. It was easier to pry her mouth open without the teeth getting in the way. He took hold of her tongue with his right hand and pulled it out as far as he could. She finally put up some resistance as her tiny mauled fists beat against his chest.

He released the hold his fingers had on her jaw when he had a good hold on her tongue. The scalpel shone as he slashed the blade through the muscle. He stood up, holding the tongue in his hand. He walked to the fire pit and tossed the tongue in. He could hear the girl whimper behind him. He didn't turn around. He looked at the poker that the Proctor had put next to the fire with the point hanging out over the edge. It was now glowing red and yellow and white.

"Shut up," he commanded.

"Well done. The poker should be hot enough to staunch the bleeding.

Carros turned to look at the Proctor. The man took a step back and gestured for him to take the poker.

He grabbed the poker's handle and ignored the intense heat. He approached the bleeding, trembling figure. He leaned down and forestalled death with more pain. The smell of burning flesh filled the room with its sweet aroma mixed with the stench of charred hair. When he was done he released his grasp on her. She fell in a limp heap, nearly passed out from the pain and blood loss. He looked to the Proctor. His eyes were filled with intensity.

_I fulfilled the Great Mantis's Will. Just tell me that it's over with._

"It is finished," the Proctor said. "You are not a child anymore. You are a True Son of the Mantis. You are no longer bound to the inferior beast but are now the Master. She is your Chattel. She is our Chattel."

Even though the Proctor had done this many times he still eyed the hot poker in this new man's hand warily. Carros felt tired. He knew that only one thing remained and then he would be free to enter society as a True Son of the Mantis.

"It is tradition for you to take her to the Uterum and place her with the other Chattel."

"Where are the collars?"

The Proctor smiled and pointed at the hair sticking out from the trembling, bloody, and burned creature.

_**The Chattel**_

Darkness.

Everything was shrouded in darkness.

She heard scraping sounds. A terrible odor filled her nostrils, but she had no way of knowing what it was. Then the pain in her scalp returned as she was lifted off her knees again. She let out a scream from her ruined mouth. Her mutilated hands reached vainly for the fingers in her mane.

She felt herself being swung and then she was released from the grip. She felt herself falling and landing on her front. She slid down what felt like a ramp of some kind. Her Hierro was scraped but not cut. Instinct told her to push herself up, but when she tried, pain flared through her hands. She tried to breath, but the stench of the polluted and stagnant air only caused her to gag.

Then she felt Reiatsu around her. She heard something, or perhaps it was more than one something, shifting and moaning. Whatever it was, it was coming closer. She propped her elbows against the ground and shakily tried to lift herself up only to fall again. She let out a small whimper as she sensed the something close in. She prepared herself for some creature to tear her to shreds. Instead she felt fingertips touching her.

She struck at the hands, but the blow caused a tremendous sensation of pain to travel through her. She cried out and curled her hands and brought them close to her chest. The hands returned.

She was terrified of any further contact and so didn't notice the gentleness in the wary touch. The fingers stroked her hair and then touched her cheeks. They explored her, stroking and prodding, in an attempt for their owner to understand this new creature.

Finally a hand found hers and held it in its larger grip.

The thumb of the larger hand was missing and the wound was covered with rough scabbed flesh. Another hand touched her face. It stank, but it was gentle. It was also maimed.

_Like mine,_ she thought.

Her fragment was found and traced. She buried her head under her arms to protect it. The hands withdrew and then she could feel arms wrapping themselves around her. They pulled her curled form into something warm, but there was a row of hard ridges that seemed to poke into her. Curious, she reached a hand up tracing the hard row of ridges until it found a pair of soft bumps. Then her hand was gently grabbed as the thing bent down and she now felt a face.

She allowed her fingers to trace the face. When her fingers reached the mouth, she could feel that the front teeth were missing. Then she felt the scars over the empty eye sockets. The thumb-less hand touched her thumb-less hand and held it to one cheek. She understood.

She leaned in closer sobbing in pain and relief as her new kin scooted up the slope that led down to the drain.

The two soon reached the rim where the others were crowded. The area where the Chattels were crowded was flat but not as defined as the slope that drained their waste. The older Chattel's spot had been taken but she squirmed back in, grunting in irritation. The others heard the little one sobbing and began to stroke it.

She was one of them now.

The older wished that one of the more experienced Nurturers would be here soon to vomit on the little one. Her own vomit only stank, but some of the other women's goo would help to ease the pain.

The stench was always bad at first, but one got used to it. But she knew that it was the fresh air that was to be dreaded. Whenever they took you there it was only more pain. She could remember the last time she had been brought up to the fresh air. She could still hear the jeers and laughter mixed with the drums and stomping and applause as she was being beaten and raped by one of their "Warriors". It was the same for all of them. The men took what they wanted. The fresh air was their smell and it was something to be feared and hated.

She began to rub the little one gently against her as she ran her cheek over its head. She marked her with her scent so that she could keep track of her and accustom the girl to her own.

Her own Nurturer was gone, but she remembered how to give what little comfort that could be provided. Soon there would be food and she already knew that her entire share would go to this one.

_**Carros**_

He somehow found his way home. He didn't quite remember the journey, but his feet knew the way. He reached out to brush the tapestry of a lovely geometric pattern of black, white, and red that hung on the door. He sighed and reached for the latch. He pulled the door open.

Carros walked into the series of cells that he and the man who adopted him from his brood called "home."

His father was sitting at the stone table, waiting.

"Well?" he asked. Carros could tell that he was relieved just at seeing him since the males who committed the Weakness of Mercy were kept behind and all evidence they existed was purged.

"I…passed," Carros replied tiredly.

The man stood up and smiled. He walked over to his son and put his hands on his shoulders.

"In that case, you deserve a reward for becoming a true man," the mustached Arrancar declared. He lowered his hands from his son's shoulders and turned away.

He walked over to the line of quartz shelves that hung from the far wall and took down a crystal bottle. Carros noted idly that it was not the one he was accustomed to. His father looked at it with a look of fondness and held it up for his son to see.

"This is what men drink, Carros. It's not like the boy's alcohol you're used to. It's only appropriate that you start drinking it after you successfully showed your desire to make the Will of the Great Mantis your own."

_I didn't really desire it,_ Carros thought. _I only did it because I was taught to obey. And obedience is always a virtue._

His father looked at him as he took down two crystal glasses and returned to the table. He put one in front of his son's spot and poured some of the liquid into the glass. Carros sat and was glad to be off his feet.

"Drink. It will help. It helped me when I completed the Rite of Will," his father ordered as he sat down and poured his own glass.

Carros picked up the glass and looked at the amber liquid. He sniffed it and then took a sip.

It wasn't like the sweet alcohol that he was given before he became a True Son. This alcohol tasted bitter and it burned as it went down his throat. He thought that it was appropriate that the adult alcohol was like this.

"I'm going to give you some advice that my own father gave me. If anyone asks if performing the Rite shook you up in a bad way…lie. Tell them that you enjoyed it. Tell yourself that you enjoyed it. If you can't dress up the lie then just say something like 'I have no words to describe my passion,' or something like that. The more times you tell yourself that you enjoyed it the quicker you'll come to believe it."

Carros thought about it. He remembered the Warriors as they were walking out. He remembered how they talked about their own experiences and how they seemed to have enjoyed it. He wondered how many of them truly enjoyed it at the time and how many merely lied to themselves to the point they believed it.

It made him think of one of his peers spitting in that suffering wretch's eyes as they filled with blood.

"The fact that you passed is what's truly important. However, when you're among the other Sons, speak fondly of it. Do you understand?"

Carros only nodded as he took another sip.

"Well, as long as you don't become a Proctor or volunteer to put them down when their time comes, you don't ever need to go back there. You don't even need to truly think about it again until it's time for your own sons to go through the Rite of Will."

_I'll never have a son,_ he thought bitterly as he drained his glass. _How could I?_

He felt his father put his hand over his.

"I'm proud of you, Carros Serrano."

Carros looked at his father surprised. It was the first time he had ever applied his surname when addressing his son. It only made him feel even more numb. He poured another drink and looked at it. He thought back to those brown eyes looking at him. He could still see their green specks and that look that told him that she believed he wouldn't hurt her.

He drained the second glass and poured a third.

_**Las Noches**_

_Wall, wall, wall, ooh…a Hollow gecko, wall, more wall, and…_ Tatsuki turned her head slightly. _SAND!_

She felt as though the sand was laughing at her.

_That does not bode well for me._

Tatsuki's scowl deepened. However, she would never admit that scowling was sort of her normal expression. After all, she was a Lieutenant and the sane one, at least in her mind, among her peers and that did not encourage a sunny disposition.

But this was ridiculous.

"Anything?" Ikkaku asked. His voice dripped with irritation.

Tatsuki was in the lead with the Third Seat bringing up the rear while Hanataro and Nemu kept the same pace between them. Tatsuki glanced back and gave Ikkaku, and by default the other two, her no-coffee-morning scowl.

"If you can't see it from there how could I see something from a few meters ahead?"

She knew it was a bit unfair, but her nerves were being rubbed the wrong way.

To their right was the fabled wall of Las Noches. They had reached it after being dumped in the desert and using Sonído to cover the distance with a couple of rest breaks. But that had been tolerable. That had been sane and sensible. This was not.

"Where's the fucking door?" Ikkaku growled as he fidgeted with his sword.

"When we find it, you'll be the first to know," Tatsuki growled.

"It would be sensible if there is only a single door. After all, entrances are weaknesses in any fortification. Considering the size of Las Noches, it could take some time before we locate a viable entrance," Nemu said as she adjusted her large back pack.

"Or we could do what Ichigo did and just make a door," Ikkaku grumbled.

"A volatile arrival would defeat our mission's intent of infiltration," Nemu answered calmly.

From anyone else it might have sounded condescending. But it was just Nemu being her usual dishwater dull self. Tatsuki had a feeling that the humanoid didn't exactly have a wide range of emotions or any programming on how to be tactful.

_Honestly, that girl's emotional spectrum is dialed to negative one,_ she thought as she continued her march.

_Wall, wall, wall, oh…and what's this? MORE WALL!_

"Wall, wall, wall, wall…." Tatsuki muttered under her breath. This prompted a twitch of irritation from Ikkaku as it carried back.

"GIRL!" Hanataro yelped as he stopped in his tracks.

"Girl? Tatsuki asked glancing back at him.

Then she hit something and went tumbling to the ground. She was expecting a mouthful of sand, but that didn't come. In fact whatever she landed on felt…soft. She opened her eyes to see white and red. She pushed herself up and saw the checkerboard pattern on a cloth spread over the ground.

She blinked a few times, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Then she felt something digging into her stomach and heard a throat being cleared. Tatsuki hopped back with reflexes honed by training and fueled by awkwardness. Sure enough she had run over a girl, who was still lying on the spread blanket. One arm was outstretched in order to save the submarine sandwich clutched in the hand.

Her position indicated that she had been sitting. Tatsuki's trained eyes looked at the objects on the cloth. She saw a mostly empty glass bottle, orange rinds, a wicker basket, and other things that indicated one thing.

_Was this Arrancar having a…a…A PICNIC? Maybe the Gigai's eating my brain. I mean…this can't be real. I must be hallucinating._

The Arrancar girl sat up slowly and rubbed the bone helmet that covered the top of her head. She took a large bite out of her sandwich.

Tatsuki glanced at the others to make sure that they were seeing the same thing she was seeing. Hanataro looked horrified that they had done some kind of hit and run. Ikkaku looked curious. Nemu…only stared at the sandwich.

The girl's helmet had two horns one of which was broken into a stub. One eye was concealed behind the darkness of a socket. The pink eye watched them curiously with a spark that Tatsuki found familiar. Her light green hair was cut short and she wore a long, short-sleeved dress that looked to nearly reach her ankles.

The Arrancar girl frowned at Nemu when she saw that her attention was on the food. Nemu, however, was most likely pondering the logistics required to get such a thing to Hueco Mundo and into this girl's hands. Tatsuki and Ikkaku recognized the look that the girl was giving:

_MINE!_

"Uh…hi?" Tatsuki ventured.

"What's up?" the girl asked in return.

She stuffed the remainder of her sandwich into her mouth, causing her cheeks to bulge horribly. She tried to give Nemu a look of triumph. Unfortunately the look came across as extremely comical. Ikkaku could not resist bursting out into laughter at her face.

The Arrancar girl surged to her feet. If looks could kill, then the glare she was giving should have killed Ikkaku five times over. However, her face was still nearly overflowing with the sandwich only made the death glare look ridiculous. This made Tatsuki's mouth twitch, but she was able to keep control. Ikkaku, however, lost his footing. As he rolled on the ground, the girl put her hands to the bulging cheeks and pushed them in. The three watched a very visible lump go down her neck as she swallowed most of the food.

Then sand was kicked up as the girl winked out of sight. There was no static sound that marked a Sonído.

A cracking sound made their heads whip around to see the girl planting a kick to Ikkaku's head as he continued to roll around laughing. The force sent him spinning into the wall with a thump.

"ASSHOLE! WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?" she yelled as she crossed her arms over her modest chest.

"The stupid face you were making," Ikkaku remarked, undiplomatically, as he got to his feet.

He dusted himself off and didn't look any worse for wear. Tatsuki looked at the girl and didn't feel much Reiatsu from her.

_Huh…I guess she's a Numeros._

Then the girl turned to look at the rest of the party with dull amusement. That was when Tatsuki noticed the flame pattern around the concealed eye.

_Oh shit…this is Lilynette Gingerback, the Primera's counterpart. This is just great. Our first encounter here and we're pissing off a local VIP. And if the reports are right, she may also be crazy._

With another speedy surge, Lilynette was face-to-face with Hanataro, standing on the tips of her toes. Tatsuki now noticed that her feet were encased in a pair of slender white boots. She leaned in so close that her nose nearly touched Hanataro's. She narrowed her eyes and began to sniff.

_Don't tell me that sniffing could be a normal Arrancar greeting. Great, we're screwed, aren't we?_

Tatsuki inwardly moaned at the thought. She noticed that the poor medic looked like he was about to run away. The combination of encountering an Arrancar and a girl being so close to him was probably making his brain want to just blow a few fuses.

"You're a wuss," she declared poking him in the chest.

Judging by how her finger went further than it should, Tatsuki concluded that Lilynette was poking him in the Hollow hole. This seemed to get Lilynette's attention. She jumped back a few steps as Hanataro cringed. She looked self-conscious for a moment and then zipped out of sight again.

There was a slight thudding sound as Nemu caught the girl's knee in her palm before it could connect with her stomach. The girl's eye brightened and she grinned. Nemu…looked the same. She made no attempt to turn the block into a hold and allowed the girl to recover and step back. Lilynette looked at her appraising her.

"You're cool," she declared and turned her attention to Tatsuki. "That means you're cool too since you're her boss." Lilynette looked pleased and nodded her head.

Tatsuki realized that this must have been some kind of class test.

_She must use it to determine who she should respect and who not to even bother with._

"Anyways, welcome to Las Noches. Please don't poke the jerks," she stated and then laughed at her own joke and clapped her hands.

_Yeah, she's definitely crazy,_ Tatsuki thought.

"Agh…enough with the Unwelcome Committee, we're trying to get inside," Ikkaku broke in.

He loomed over the girl from behind. Tatsuki saw that he had one hand on the hilt of his sword and really hoped he would realize who this was before he did something stupid. The young Arrancar glanced over her shoulder and stuck out her tongue at him. Ikkaku gritted his teeth. Tatsuki looked to Nemu and nodded. Nemu nodded to show she understood and used Sonído to reach Ikkaku whom she restrained. Lilynette seemed pleased with this and her grin became even wider.

"So…uh…may we enter?" Tatsuki asked.

"Hmm, let's see. The big door is about two days that-a-way, but I can get in sooner," Lilynette pondered aloud. She looked at the group like they were toys on a shelf.

_Oh gods. don't tell me she's some kind of spoiled princess,_ Tatsuki thought with dread.

"Hmm, alright I'll do it. But I have one condition." Lilynette raised one finger to emphasize that point.

"Uh…what is it?" Tatsuki asked, dreading the number of possibilities. She may not know Lilynette, but she knew Yachiru.

"The cool girls come to hang out at my house."

Tatsuki looked confused. That was not what she had been expecting.

"HEY!" Ikkaku cried out, still struggling to break free of Nemu's hold. "What about me and the wuss?"

"Eh, I don't care…just as long as you don't get me in trouble. My secret entrances are supposed to be secret," she explained as she wadded up her blanket and shoved it into the basket.

_She has secret entrances? And she's showing where they are to complete strangers?_ _Someone really needs to explain the definition of "Secret" to her._

She watched as Lilynette chewed up the orange rinds as she picked up the basket with the bottle sticking out of it and a fold of blanket dangling over the edge. She walked over to the part of the wall that Ikkaku had hit when he went rolling from her kick. She placed a hand on it. Her Reiatsu flared visibly in a blue aura.

"HEY, OPEN UP! IT'S ME!" she shouted at the wall.

The ground at the base of the wall parted in a maw. Lilynette dropped into it. Tatsuki gestured for Nemu to let Ikkaku go and they approached the edge cautiously.

"What are you waiting for?" her voice cried out from the darkness below as they looked down.

"Commander Arisawa?" Nemu asked.

Tatsuki only shrugged. Ikkaku gave a slight grin and he jumped down. Hanataro approached the edge hesitantly and looked down nervously.

"Yamada, would you like assistance?" Nemu asked.

The medic nodded. Then he felt something hit him in the back. He tottered on the edge and fell head first into the darkness. The girls heard him land with a thump and the bark of laughter from Ikkaku.

"Uh…what was that?" Tatsuki asked Nemu who was lowering her hand to her side.

"It's how Father gets the new recruits who are rather reluctant to clean the drains to start," she replied.

Nemu then leapt into the air and performed a double back flip as she dropped down. Tatsuki sighed and just stepped over the edge in what looked like an uncontrolled plunge.

_**A Few Minutes Later**_

Tatsuki was feeling nostalgic. It wasn't something that she had planned on experiencing in Hueco Mundo. Yet, here she was, riding a train with Nemu while it was being driven through a decent-sized tunnel under Las Noches. She hadn't known that Las Noches had such a network. That part was not mentioned in any of the briefings.

She had been worried when they dropped into a room where two white-uniformed Arrancar men with Reiatsu the level of a Seated-Officer sat. Fortunately they were more annoyed than angry at Lilynette dropping in with company. Tatsuki had a feeling that the girl brought home strays quite often.

She began to wonder if Lilynette was another Yachiru who got away with everything because she had a poor-excuse of a father who happened to be a big shot. Then she started to wonder if perhaps Las Noches was run this poorly to where two guards, or she guessed they were guards, would allow a bunch of strangers to enter unhindered.

Then she began to revisit her This-Is-A-Hallucination Theory when she realized that they were in an old fashioned underground station and Lilynette had acquired a black and gold conductor's cap with the letters LNUT displayed on it in glittering letters.

Now, she was alone with the girl and Nemu since Lilynette said that assholes couldn't ride her ride. Hanataro had volunteered to walk with Ikkaku up the marble-tiled stairs that were located at the end of an arched hallway that apparently connected the platform to the station. She didn't know how long the train had been running on the tracks through the darkness.

"Pretty sweet, eh? They got nothing like this in the boondocks! I'm in charge of the trains and tunnels all around the city," Lilynette declared proudly from her spot at the controls.

Tatsuki thought that the ride was a lot smoother than any she remembered while in the World of the Living. The train car itself was decorated like something from the Victorian Era, including portraits of Arrancars hanging over some of the windows. She glanced at the one nearest her that showed a raven-haired man with a goatee and a mask fragment that resembled a pair of devil horns. The small gold plaque on the frame simply read: "DORDONI". Tatsuki frowned.

"What purpose does this serve when most Arrancar can use Sonído?" Nemu asked.

Lilynette looked up from the control. She took a sip of coffee and glared at Nemu.

"Well, it's a train. You can sit down. Besides, not everyone is that good at using Sonído," Lilynette answered. There was a dangerous tone to her voice when it came to the last part.

"But isn't it still a waste of time and resources?" Nemu asked.

She frowned slightly as her rational mind was working to understand the exact purpose of having a train system under Las Noches. She was oblivious as Lilynette turned in her seat to glare at the monotonous woman while sipping the coffee.

_Oh boy, I know that look,_ Tatsuki thought. _It's the same look that Yachiru gets when she is about to bite. I hope she doesn't get too distracted from the controls and cause this…_

She suddenly realized that there was no way this could really be real. Yet, it was. They were riding on a train under Las Noches.

_Wait a minute. WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GET A TRAIN? Hold on…did she also say "TRAINS"?_

That was when she noticed the brass plaque on one of the wooden panels. She looked at it, wondering if this was the last gasp of her sanity. But no, this actually explained things that made no sense to the rational mind.

IMPORTED BY URAHARA SHOTEN

DISCRETION IS OUR MOTTO

"Tch…I should have known," she growled.

_So…dare to mess with my sanity with nonsensical shit will he?_

As Tatsuki seethed, she was already plotting her vengeance. A wicked gleam came to her eyes as she realized her best course of action.

She would unleash Yachiru on that bum's candy shop.

_**Urahara Shoten, Karakura Town**_

Kisuke felt a sudden chill run up his spine. He shivered slightly and wrapped his coat closer to him. The others seated around the low round table paused to look at him.

"Is something wrong boss?" Tessai asked.

"I don't know Tessai, but I got a bad feeling," Urahara murmured as he glanced around.

"Oh…what is it?" the large man as he carefully refilled his boss's glass from across the table.

"I'm sensing that a pretty girl somewhere wants to hit me."

"Maybe it's Yoruichi," Ururu suggested happily.

That could mean that the woman would be visiting after all. Urahara felt a bit of relief at the thought. He was about to eat the rest of his lunch when he noticed that it was gone. He turned and raised his only eyebrow to Yura who was chomping away a bit too innocently.

_**Las Noches**_

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

"Here we are," Lilynette called as she tried to straighten her conductor's cap over her helmet.

Tatsuki wondered why she didn't just alter the hat to fit her unique mask fragment. The Arrancar got to her feet and drained the last of the coffee she had been drinking during the trip and stifled a yawn. She grabbed the picnic basket that she had placed on one of the seats.

"Uh…where are we?" Tatsuki asked.

"We're at Central Station…duh."

Tatsuki looked out one of the uncovered windows and saw that they were in some kind of station. She saw strips of the fluorescent material running up the columns and along the ceiling. The white tiles gleamed in the soft glow. In the middle of the wall she saw a plaque of a white circle inside a larger red circle with a blue stripe running horizontally across the middle with the words CENTRAL STATION/KING'S PLAZA in white.

_Oh man, Yachiru would be so jealous,_ Tatsuki thought at the sight. _Or worse…she would ask Lilynette to help her with upgrading her own tunnels and then seek out Urahara to get her some trains to use. It would mean the end of the Soul Society as we know it._

"Anyways, thanks for riding the Lilynette Express Line of the Las Noches Underground Transit. Enjoy your stay; don't forget to visit the souvenir shop; blah-blah-blah. Alright, let's go," Lilynette said as she opened the train door.

_Do they really get tourists or is she just ignoring her own delusions?_ Tatsuki wondered as she got up. Nemu followed her lead.

They stepped out of the train. Their footsteps echoed in the empty station as they made their way to the exit. Tatsuki stopped when she saw the escalators, one going up and the other coming down. She began to wonder how they got electricity to operate them and then saw another Urahara Shoten plaque and felt she knew the answer.

_Somebody's been a busy beaver._

"Are you just gonna stand there or are ya gonna head up?" Lilynette called out.

"Come on, before she decides to go all Yachiru on us," Tatsuki whispered.

"As you wish," Nemu replied. Although she was puzzled why that would be a bad thing since the Madame President was quite nice if a bit strange. But she was only permitted to question Arisawa's authority when it ran counter to her father's orders.

They got on the escalator and headed up. The walls on either side were decorated with posters of various trains from steam-powered trains to the Bullet train to the sleek and more aerodynamic vehicles that traveled on the new Eurasian Glide-Rails.

She focused her attention back to the top of the escalator. She could see two ornate pillars that were holding up some kind of stone roof. When they reached the top, she saw that they were standing under an awning with only the front open. The other three sides were closed off by white stone.

They stepped out from under the structure and Tatsuki looked at the sky.

_This…this is impossible,_ she thought.

Even though they had heard of it, it was something to actually see it. She remembered that Hanataro and Nemu were the only ones to have actually experienced it, but their accounts could not have prepared her for it.

It was strange seeing that after all of this time since Aizen's death at the end of the Second Aizen War that his Kido mastery was still working.

The false sun beat down on them from a pristine blue sky. For a moment Tatsuki felt that she was home after the night of Hueco Mundo.

But closer inspection made her realize her mistake. Even though it looked like it was day, it just didn't have the same feel. There was no wind and the heat didn't feel natural. The "sunlight" lacked the warmth and familiarity she was used to. It was not the same sensation she had when she said farewell to the real sun along with her friends and family on Memorial Hill.

The revelation made the sight unpleasant.

It was like seeing a stranger dressed up like a dear friend.

Then her eyes went to the surface. Palaces of sandstone rose from the sandy surface. Some were surrounded by walls that were decorated with friezes and others seemed to be made of fluted columns. In the distance she could see what looked like an aqueduct rising above the desert floor in a series of arches.

Then there were the statues. Some were intact, rising above the sands like triumphant gods of white stone. But she saw that most of them were in pieces. Some were even buried in the sand and looked like the victims of a shipwreck struggling to keep from sinking beneath the waves. A struggle they looked to be losing; thus making their stoic or triumphant stances all the more eerie.

It reminded her of a bit of poetry she had read once in high school. She hadn't thought of that poem in ages, but the sight brought it back:

_And on the pedestal these words appear:_

"_My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:_

_Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"_

_Nothing beside remains: round the decay_

_Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,_

_The lone and level sands stretch far away._

She couldn't believe that she still remembered that. Yet she shivered at how true those words were to describe what she was seeing.

"So, is it living up to your expectations?" Lilynette asked.

"I was…picturing something different," Tatsuki replied honestly.

_What is this? What happened here?_

"Yeah, well, it's interesting how time changes things. You should have seen it in its Golden Days. There were a lot more things to do back then… Now come on, the entryway is this way!" Lilynette piped up after trailing off on her thoughts of the past.

Tatsuki exchanged a look with Nemu before they followed. She knew that they had brushed on something important. However, Lilynette's use of the word "entryway" drove that thought away.

"Entryway?"

Tatsuki turned and saw that the structure they just came out of was carved into the base of a great wall that was decorated with friezes. Her eyes widened in surprise at the detail and the way the scenes flowed into each other with tremendous ease. A brief Sonído away from the wall allowed her to get a better view of what she was looking at. She knew that some of the scenes depicted from the briefings on the Winter War. However, those scenes were heavily stylized and, she thought, rather one-sided.

"Tch…tourists," Lilynette scoffed. "You're always gawking at things that we natives got tired of looking at a long time ago. I can tell you that the scene sculpted for the Battle at the Fake Karakura Town is completely inaccurate. I was there you know. I ACTUALLY FOUGHT AGAINST A CAPTAIN!"

_That's not what I would call it,_ Tatsuki thought, trying to keep from laughing. She had read the accounts that were given and they pretty much all agreed on Lilynette's "fight" with Captain Ukitake. _I would say it was more of having a tantrum._

"But do they even think of putting that on the wall? NO! They think that my fight against that white-haired guy wasn't important enough."

_That's because it wasn't._

"I felt sad with what Wonderweiss did to him. I really wanted a re-match.

"Anyways, for the part with Aizen slashing Harribel…they got that right. Shinigami bastard. Now come on."

Lilynette began to walk away. Tatsuki looked at Nemu, but she was expressionless as ever. She wished that Ikkaku was here since he would provide some actual conversation. Nemu might be smarter than him, but she kept her thoughts to herself most of the time. That wasn't an issue with the Third Seat.

"So tell me, Spikes…" Lilynette spoke up as they caught up with her.

"My name's not 'Spikes'," Tatsuki grumbled.

_Great, just what I need: another nickname. My hair isn't that spiky._

"It is to me. Anyways, why did you bring such a weakling along with ya? I would have figured that tourists traveling through Hueco Mundo wouldn't want such a…a…oh…what's the word I want?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully, trying to find the right way to describe Hanataro.

"Perhaps you wish to say, 'Small-Fry'?" Nemu inquired helpfully. She had experience with this sort of thing thanks to Yachiru.

"THAT'S IT!" Lilynette shouted and clapped her hands. "Yes, that's exactly it. Thanks Chuckles."

"My pleasure," Nemu said and gave a slight bow.

_Did…did she just call Nemu "Chuckles"?_ Tatsuki shook her head. _The reports on her really were right. I just hope she doesn't go all Yachiru on us and start using us as chew toys. However, Nemu voluntarily endures fatal levels of Yachiru exposure. Maybe she's immune?_

Lilynette smiled a bit and reached up to pat Nemu on the shoulder.

"I think you and I are gonna get along just fine. As for you, Spikes, you really need to loosen up a bit more. Las Noches is good for that. As for those two idiots you came with…they're an embarrassment. I would drop them ASAP if I was the boss," she advised as she walked backwards to face her guests.

_I'm glad she's here and not in the Soul Society,_ Tatsuki thought. _I don't even want to think about what kind of damage that she and the Pink Menace could cause if they joined forces. Pink hair + Pink eye =…_

The very thought sent a shiver up her spine.

It didn't take them long to reach the mentioned entryway. It was flanked with two statues of red-eyed wolves that seemed to stand guard at an ornate wrought-iron gate. Lilynette sighed and muttered something under her breath. She reached into a pocket that was concealed on her dress and brought out a key hanging on a silver chain. She continued mumbling under her breath as she unlocked the date.

"She seems to be agitated about something," Nemu observed.

"I can see that."

"Alright, come on you two. I'm sure that my Dad would like to meet you. Besides he…" She yawned and started to nod off. "Hold on a sec." She reached into her basket and brought out a bottle of soda. She twisted the cap off and drank deeply. She shivered slightly and screwed the top back on as her back became straight again.

"That's better.

"Anyways, he spends too much time sleeping. Maybe you can get him moving," she pondered.

Tatsuki's eye twitched at how that could be taken. But she knew that wasn't what the girl was talking about.

Lilynette gestured for them to go through the opened gate. When the three were in the compound, Tatsuki noticed two vacant pedestals opposite of the wolves. Lilynette closed the gate behind them and led them to the entrance to the Five Towers. Tatsuki could only imagine how far they rose, but from what she read in the accounts each tower rose above the massive dome. The visual effect of the towers seeming to pierce the sky was impressive.

Then again, Aizen had built this place. The Arrancars were like hermit crabs, moving in after he was gone. But it seemed that they had made some modifications. She had heard from the reports that the Five Towers were completely separated from each other. However, it appeared as though the Arrancars had built some kind of structure around the lower levels of the Five Towers. She looked up and saw sky-walks running from each of the four outer towers to the central tower.

_Huh, they made quite a few modifications to this place._

They walked up the flight of stone stairs to a pair of steel doors. Lilynette used her key to unlock these doors and pushed them open. They found themselves in some kind of courtyard with a fountain that was spouting water and well-tended flower gardens with a variety of flowers from roses to tulips. There were even a couple of cherry trees. There was a stone bench by the fountain that looked to be in good condition as well.

"Nel likes to tend to this garden whenever she comes by," Lilynette said. "She says that it helps to brighten up the place."

Tatsuki would have to agree with that. Then something clicked.

"When you say 'Nel' are you referring to Nelliel Tu Odelschwank?" Tatsuki asked.

"Uh…yeah…unless there's another Nel I don't know about," Lilynette replied.

Lilynette led them to another flight of stairs that led to an open doorway. When they walked through the arch they walked into a massive lobby. Paintings and tapestries hung around the room, making it surprisingly bright. Tatsuki wondered how many pieces of art were in this single area. Her mother had tried to get her into art instead of sports, and most of what she was seeing was among the better stuff that had been forced on her.

Columns made of the luminescent stone lined the wall, casting their pale light throughout the chamber. A great staircase rose at the end of the hall. A statue stood in the alcove at the landing that showed a man in a long fur coat with two pistols in his hands and a wolf standing next to him. The base for this statue read STARRK.

However, it looked as though the alcove was originally meant to hold another statue. However, only the base on which that statue would have stood remained and it looked as though the part where a name would have been was completely chiseled away. Tatsuki wanted to stop and inspect it but their guide was still moving.

Lilynette led them to an archway flanked by two of Thomas Cole's _The Course of Empire_ paintings: _The Arcadian or Pastoral State_ and _The Consummation of Empire_. When they walked through the archway, Tatsuki became even more surprised. They had walked into some kind of sitting area.

The furniture was ornate, but not as gaudy as the furniture in the Rococo style. The couches looked extremely comfortable. A gold and crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Small paintings decorated the oak wood panel walls.

_Wow! They really know how to live comfortably here,_ Tatsuki thought. _So much for The Vanguard's propaganda, these "savage beasts" live ritzier than the Kuchikis!_

"Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable," Lilynette said as she shoved her guests onto one of the couches. "You can wait here while I get him."

Lilynette rushed out of the sitting area as they adjusted themselves in the overstuffed couch. Nemu glanced over at a chair against the wall and cocked her head slightly.

"Hmm…that chair appears to be late 18th Century French," she mused. "I wonder how they ever got their hands on a lot of what they have. Most of the paintings I saw were believed to be lost in the Downfall or during the Great Chaos."

_How do you know all of that? Is it just a hobby or did Mayuri cram your head with this stuff?_

Tatsuki got up and looked at a small Rembrandt that hung on the wall. She noticed the small plaque on the frame. Her suspicions were right. She began to wonder if she should put Kisuke's little side business in her report or not.

_Nah,_ she decided. _I'll let it slide. That way I can exact a more…personal revenge on him for making me question my own sanity._

"DAMN IT! WHERE IS HE?"

The bellow cut into her thoughts.

Tatsuki sat back down as Lilynette stomped back into the room. She could see that the little Arrancar was more frustrated than enraged despite her yelling. She got the feeling that the girl was a recreational yeller.

"Is something wrong?" Nemu asked.

"Lazy Ass wasn't in his usual napping area. Ah well…I'm not gonna go looking for him. He'll come crawling back eventually like always. When he does…I'll give him a good kick in the ass for the trouble," Lilynette declared rather dramatically. She plopped down on one of the couches and put her feet up on the ornately carved cherry-wood table that was between them.

"Aren't you worried that something might happen to him?" Tatsuki asked cautiously.

"Not really. I would be more worried for the Hollow that gets too close to him," the girl replied as she slumped into her seat, pouting.

_That's right. The file on Coyote Starrk said that he has extremely high levels of Reiatsu. He even admitted that weaker Hollows died just from getting too close to him. And Nanao mentioned that the former Captain-Commander, Yamamoto, nearly killed her one time by exerting his Reiatsu over her. So I can believe that. And Starrk killed a Captain-classed Visored and almost killed Captain Kyoraku during the Winter War._

"In the meantime," Lilynette said perking up. She grabbed a deck of cards from the side table and grinned as she took the cards out of the box. "We can play a little game."

Lilynette sorted through the cards and took out one of the Jokers, but left the other in the deck. She began to cut and shuffle the cards…or at least she tried to shuffle the cards. Tatsuki felt that the Arrancar didn't get many opportunities to play cards and didn't think about practicing how to shuffle in between games.

"I'm not really in the mood to play games," Tatsuki said as she stood up. "Would it be alright if I took a look around?"

If the Yachiru trend continued, Tatsuki had a feeling that good sportsmanship and sensible rules were going to be in extremely short supply.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" Lilynette sighed. "What about you Chuckles?" she asked looking at Nemu trying to disguise her eagerness with indifference. "Do you feel lucky going up against the Queen of Cards?"

Nemu looked at Tatsuki. Tatsuki only nodded while giving her a do-whatever-you-want look. Nemu returned her attention to Lilynette.

"Very well, I shall play," Nemu replied and bowed her head slightly.

"Excellent! I hope that you'll be more fun to play with than some of the other lame-brains I've had to put up with." Lilynette's grin now spread from ear-to-ear.

Lilynette continued to try to shuffle the cards, only for some of them to escape her grip in a wild spray. She let out a low growl of frustration as the cards fell around her.

"Stupid cards," she mumbled. She snatched some of the cards out of the air as they were still falling and then crawled on the floor to scoop up the ones that were lying on the ornately patterned Persian rug placed under the table.

"May I?" Nemu asked as she finished helping to pick up the rest of the escaped cards.

"Fine."

Lilynette practically slapped the cards into Nemu's palm. Nemu looked at the cards and began to shuffle them like a professional card dealer in a riverboat casino. Lilynette watched wide-eyed and mouth agape. Tatsuki walked out of the sitting area while she was distracted. When she reached the greeting area she looked at the stairs that ascended into the tower's heights.

_Alright, let's see what I can find here. I hope that Ikkaku and Hanataro haven't forgotten that we're here to find out any information on the First Expedition. They had to come here at some point. _

She looked at the stairs again. With any luck, the security was also lax on any important stuff as well. However, that thought made her wonder what happened to cause Las Noches to become this way. She made her way to the stairs, her footsteps echoed through the empty hall. She shivered.

_This place feels…hollow._

Tatsuki sighed and began her ascent up the Tower of the Sleeping King.

_**Hanataro Yamada**_

He was not surprised to have been ditched by Ikkaku. Sure the reasoning had been to split up and gather more data that way than they would have if they stuck together. That was a part of the mission. However, Hanataro knew that it was still being ditched.

Ikkaku had thanked him for accompanying him, but it was only because it was the polite thing to do. Hanataro appreciated the gesture, but it didn't balance out the resentment he saw in the time before they separated.

He knew that people hated him. He was weak and the Gotei strived against weakness. He couldn't take his record against the disgraced officer as a matter of pride. Such shame would have destroyed him. The very fact that Ikkaku was still here to loathe Hanataro only proved that the ruffian was better than him.

And Nemu had pushed him into a hole! He had thought that she was nice. Squad 12 did not harbor the same grudge against Squad 4 that some of the Squads did. At the very least they respected the healing arts as a valid branch of science.

_No, this won't do any good. I don't have time to wallow in self-pity. Captain Unohana trusted me with this mission and so did Ichigo! I need to help save Rukia again!_

He squared his shoulders and brushed his hair back. Then he slumped when he looked around and realized that he had been walking. He had no idea how he had gotten into the long white hall that he found himself in. At the end of the hall he saw a pair of large doors.

_Well, big fancy doors usually lead to someplace important._

He walked towards them and saw that one of the pair of large double doors was fancy. The left door was covered with a steel plate, or perhaps it was actually a silver plate, with an elaborate etching. It showed the Primera in his release mode. His arms were crossed over his chest, with a gun in each hand. The image was surrounded by depictions of grape vines that were heavy with fruit.

The right door was only bare stone. Rough holes in its surface gave the image that it also had an ornate plate on it as well. However, someone had ripped the plating off for some reason. He wondered why no one had bothered to repair or replace the second door since its twin was obviously well-cared for.

He glanced around the empty room. He was reminded of the "Something's Off" feeling of Las Noches. He had expected something like Squad 11's turf based on the reports that were given by those who had been here and by his own minor experience here. But the city didn't feel that way. It felt empty more than anything else.

_Did I wander into an unused area? Well,_ he thought as he approached the door. _I reckon this is a good a place as any to start my reconnaissance._

He pushed the marred door in.

What he saw the last thing he expected to see. Green, lots of green, and the sight of sunlight filtering through branches. It was as though he was about to walk into a forest. He stepped onto the stone path before the door and looked at the fruit trees that lined either side. Then he noticed the old but well-defined rows.

_This isn't a forest._ _It's an orchard._

He then noticed that there were stone benches at various intervals. Apparently it also served as a park of sorts. He was surprised to see the ripe crimson apples hanging down from the branches. He walked to the path's edge and reached out. He picked one of the ripe fruit hanging on a relatively low branch. He sniffed at it and took a bite. The fruit crunched and his mouth was filled with its sweet taste.

_Oh gods, that's good. This is a really good find. We could take some fruit with us as supplies._

He walked forward, still eating his apple. The apple trees gave way to orange trees. Some were already ripe enough to be picked, but others weren't quite ready. The orange trees gave way to a vineyard and groups of fig and olive trees. It looked as though those had already been harvested.

That was when he noticed something odd. He saw that the sunlight was reflecting against something hanging in mid-air. He suddenly realized that he was in some kind of vast greenhouse that had been divided into various sections, each separated by a wall of glass. He could see stray grapevines trying to climb the immaculate walls. He looked up at the angled glass roofing. Each section had glass with various levels of tinting, depending on how much sun and humidity was required for each fruit to ripen.

_They must also have their own watering system as well. I guess Aizen really did think of everything when he designed his fortress._

He continued moving forward until he reached what looked to be the final section. It led onto a large stone porch. The marble tables were covered with pots of plants, some that Hanataro recognized as seasoning herbs and others as medicinal herbs. He looked at each plant, especially those he didn't recognize, as he made his way to the stone railing. He leaned forward and looked out over a sea of gold, waving in a gentle breeze from the wind fans.

_They grow wheat? Who would have guessed?_

He stood at the railing, sinking in the sight. He was glad to look at something other than white sand. He suspected that this was something he would not find out there. After all, he hadn't even expected to find it here.

"'tis beautiful, no?" a light voice asked.

Hanataro whirled around so fast that he tripped over his own feet and nearly fell. He was able to maintain his balance thanks to the stone rail. A soft giggle reached his ears. He looked up and saw a figure dressed in green sitting at the stone bench nearest him.

It was a girl who looked to either be in her mid or late teens. He skin was pale but here hair and eyes were a soft shade of green. Her face was angular, but looked more delicate than sharp. However, he noticed a pair of small tusks sprouting next to her eyes that he knew was her mask remnant. She wore a dark green dress with embroidery of vines at the waist and bust in gold thread and green silk gloves. Tusks or no, she was beautiful. The way she covered her mouth with one gloved hand to try to conceal her smile only made Hanataro more nervous. He wasn't sure if he should view her as an enemy or not.

_Wait a minute. She's an Arrancar. Of course she's an enemy. I'll have to be on my guard. First, I need to calm down. There's no need to be all jumpy…at least not yet._

However, he was finding it rather difficult to calm down. He was afraid that any moment she would fire a Cero at him and that would be that.

As a result, he could only stare at her with wide eyes and flinching every-now-and-again when she made any sign at movement. This only caused the girl to give out another soft giggle. He idly noticed that she was holding a half-eaten apple in her right hand.

"I'm sorry. You just make quite the display, no?" she said. She pulled her hand away to reveal full lips painted a light shade of green. "You are a foreigner, no? You walk like a stranger and your clothes lack elegance." She let out a tiny gasp, and put the fingers of her left hand up to her mouth. "I'm sorry. 'twas rude of me, no? I apologize if you were offended."

"Oh…uh…uh…I…I wasn't offended," Hanataro stuttered. His mind raced for something to say to ensure _she_ wouldn't view him as a threat.

"Uh…my name's Hanataro."

"I am Adrianna Tomaz," she replied and gave a slight nod of her head. "Hmm, Hanataro…your name is very foreign, no? Ah, you must be from the Night. I suppose 'tis nothing like the Hall of Bounty in the Night, no?"

Hanataro nodded, thinking that was the safest way to respond. He wondered why she kept saying, "no". Then he noticed the darting glances, her posture, and her hands.

_She's nervous,_ he realized. He knew the symptoms by heart because they were similar to what he did when he was nervous.

"Something's bothering you Miss Tomaz. Would you like me to leave?" he asked bowing his head a little.

She tucked her gloved hands into her lap and looked at him with an expression he knew all too well. It was the look of judgment. She was weighing and measuring him. He knew that he should expect that look to come at some point, but it still made him afraid. He was afraid since most of the time that look would be followed with ridicule or dismissal.

To his surprise she raised a hand and patted the spot next to her on the bench. His eyes widened even more in confusion. She giggled and patted the spot again. Stunned, he walked over and numbly sat down next to her. A crunching sound drew his attention and he saw her take a bite out of her apple. He did the same with his own apple. For a time they just sat there eating the refreshing fruit.

He felt more relaxed now. He was sure she wasn't going to turn into a monster and bite his head off. In fact she seemed rather nice in a way that most girls never seemed to be with him.

That was when he truly noticed what he was doing.

_Holy shit…I'M SITTING NEXT TO A GIRL! I mean, she's an Arrancar, but she's still a girl!_

It wasn't that he was flustered with interacting with girls. Gods knew that Squad 4 was filled with pretty girls and Hanataro was used to talking with them. But they always talked about healing or complained about the other Squads. But this was somehow different from that. He just didn't know how it was different.

He tried to control his expression when she popped the apple core into her mouth and began to chew it. That seemed to be one difference between their species that he could note: Arrancars ate orange rinds and apple cores while humans and Shinigami did not. She licked her glove clean of any juice that may have gotten on them. Somehow, she made this act look refined rather than crude. She finally looked at him.

"They say that one can confide in strangers as one can't in neighbors, no?" She looked at her empty hand and sighed. "I've been asked to become a Breeder."

"What?" He blushed a bit at the implication.

She looked at him in surprise when she saw he was serious. A blush crept into sight from under her high green and gold collar. He wondered if the clothing and the Hierro made her too hot and thought of a way that she could be more comfortable. His blushed deepened when he realized what he was thinking about. He had never thought about something like _that_ before. She covered her mouth, most likely out of guessing what he was thinking.

"Your tribe must be prudish. You were raised by a mother, no?"

"Uh…yes?" he managed as he looked away.

He would never be so bold as to claim his Captain as such. He was too far below her. But, a half-truth worked where lies failed. At least that was what he was told during training for the mission. She just nodded and giggled a bit at his awkwardness.

"Fathers seem to have easier time. 'tis probably because 'tis not on their plate, no? My father took me to see an orgy to teach me. Not very tactful, no?"

The girl blushed at the memory. Hanataro gagged at the thought of having to witness an orgy. Then he realized how cute her blush was with her coloring.

_FOCUS! MUST…FOCUS!_

"'tis where children come from. It takes 13 months, and the last five leave women immobile, helpless. During the final three, the brood is so demanding you can't think clearly until after the birth. That doesn't bother me so much. 'tis the two months being immobile and knowing it; 'tis also all of those creatures in me." She shuddered.

Hanataro was stunned. However, he had also been stunned by less strange things. He watched the girl chew at the tip of one gloved finger. He was surprised that he was able to find words.

"Makes you…makes you nervous…no?" he stuttered.

She looked at him wide-eyed. She realized that she hadn't used her tic during the explanation. She giggled into her hand and turned to look at the golden sea below them.

"I'm one of the stronger females in my generation, no? But I don't like fighting. Lady Nelliel is scary with her power, and I don't want that. I want to keep on working here and help grow the food," she explained as though confessing a shameful secret.

Hanataro knew that there was a difference between the Seireitei and Las Noches because of the last time he had ventured here. However, it seemed as though Las Noches preferred more constructive pursuits rather than the destructive ones that The Vanguard and their ilk always preached about. If that was the case then there really was no need to go to war.

"And I won't have much of a choice on who the sire is. I don't have a mate to challenge it. I will have to pick from the strong males for strong offspring, no?

"'twas not my idea to breed either. I'm not forceful. How would I push a child into being strong when I cannot force myself to be strong? I prefer the company of plants because they do not hit back," she continued.

He could understand arranged marriages. But arranged mating? It didn't even sound like a marriage. He wondered if the concepts were different for Arrancars. He supposed he was gathering information, but he was not in a good position.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what to say…to make you feel better."

The last part slipped out as he spoke his mind. Hanataro wanted to take it back. He felt as though he probably made the situation worse and that this Arrancar girl would hate him. However, she turned to look at him and smiled.

"It helps to know you want me to feel better.

"OH!" she gasped and covered her mouth. "I have been talking about me but you haven't said anything about yourself, Hanataro."

"Oh…uh…uh…"

_Oh man, this isn't good. What can I tell her? I don't want her to know I'm on reconnaissance. Oh…this is so not good._

"I…uh…I'm a Healer. Well, I'm actually an Apprentice Healer. That's why I'm traveling: to learn more."

The Arrancar girl visibly perked up at his words. She grabbed on his hands in her gloved ones.

"'TIS WONDERFUL! We have a sector devoted to medicinal plants. I'll show you, no!"

She dragged him to his feet and towards the door. Blushing, Hanataro wondered if the others were having luck. He hoped that Ikkaku hadn't gotten into a fight.

Although, he had to admit that was likely a forlorn hope.

_**Ikkaku Madarame**_

Ikkaku felt a little guilty that he just left Hanataro to whatever Las Noches had in store. But the main word was "little".

_He needs to learn how to fend for himself. What better place to learn how than a place where there's nobody around?_

That was when he first noticed just how lonely this place really was. It was as though most of the area he was in was deserted. What made it even worse was that he didn't know where he was.

He recalled how Captain Zaraki complained about how until he ran into Ichigo's little party, who were being beaten by Nnoitora and that boar guy, there weren't even runts swarming around like in the Seireitei. He could now understand his Captain's frustration. He hadn't run into anyone since he left Hanataro.

"Shit," he whispered. "Maybe I shouldn't have just left Hanataro to wander off on his… Oh crap… what if something happens to him? DAMN IT! I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!"

He finally realized what would happen to him if something happened to the little medic. He wondered who he would rather face: Tatsuki or Unohana. Either way he would end up in a body bag and in very small pieces.

_Either way…I'm dead. I mean, I ain't afraid of dying. But those two…they would make it an unpleasant process to say the least! Damn it. I…I didn't think before I acted. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn…_

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of music drifting his way. He stopped his inner ranting and cocked his head. He couldn't quite believe his ears, but it did not vanish under his scrutiny. It was soft, but it was real.

He couldn't be sure, but he thought that it was coming from a group of ruins that was relatively nearby. Whatever the structure had been, and he figured that it must have been of some foreign design, it must have been grand when it was whole. Now the only thing intact was a single pillar and the foundation. The rest sat in a crumbled ruin from some distant collapse. The music itself was a mournful tune as though it was an ode to the fallen grandeur that these ruins represented.

He used Sonído to reach the ruins and walked up the steps lightly. When he reached the top, he saw a small group of four Arrancar men and women sitting at the base of a ruined pillar. One of the men was sitting cross-legged on part of the fallen column and was playing a flute that appeared to be made of glass. The others listened as they ate oranges and grapes and figs.

Ikkaku hid behind a pile of debris, and peered around a large stone block to keep an eye on the Arrancars.

What surprised Ikkaku the most was that they were wearing colored silks with gold chains wrapped around their waists. The two women wore jewelry of silver and topaz in their braided hair and crowns made of flowers. The men wore crowns made of olive branches and necklaces of white and black beads.

_What is this? Is it some kind of Arrancar courting ritual?_

When the man stopped silence hung in the air. The other three applauded him.

"That was very good," one of the women said. "It was like listening to the two nightingales in the Hall of Songs."

"You are too kind dear lady. Yet this one thanks you for your praise," he replied.

"Another, another I say," the woman called out, her hazel and blue eyes glittered.

"But, I wish to hear something played with the violin. If it's no trouble," the other woman said a little shyly.

The male Arrancar leapt from his seat on top of the section of the fallen column. He took up the woman's hand and kissed the fingers gently. She smiled and blushed as she glanced away from him.

"Your wish is meant to be fulfilled for it was made from a desire for true beauty," the musician whispered audibly.

He straightened and looked to where Ikkaku hid.

"Perhaps our guest would care to join us? We have plenty of food and we still have some honey wine to share. The Night should learn to enjoy the ease of The Day."

Ikkaku stayed quiet. He didn't trust them. After all one of the first lessons he was taught when he entered the Gotei was that "a serene appearance is an excellent mask to conceal an ambush." They were Arrancars after all and he had fought their kind before. He was about to Sonído away when the other male appeared before him, smiling.

Ikkaku let out an involuntary yelp of surprise and was ready to draw his Zanpakuto. The Arrancar's face took on a look of concern.

"Oh…I apologize if I had frightened you, Stranger. It's just that we don't get too many visitors from the Moon-Lit Sands in these days of repose. Please, there's no need for violence here," he said and held out his empty hands to assure Ikkaku that he was not a threat.

That was when Ikkaku realized that the Arrancar wasn't carrying his sword. He blinked in surprise a few times and released his grip on the hilt of his Zanpakuto.

"I…I'm sorry, but I…"

The man laughed with hearty amusement and not mockery.

"I understand. You do not know us and we do not know you. It must be one of those odd things of The Night to distrust strangers so. Well I do not wish to make an enemy of a potential friend. I am Ludwig Holson. May we be well met."

"I'm Madarame," Ikkaku replied gruffly.

"Such a strange name, but of course my own name would be strange to you. We would very much enjoy having you join us for our gathering, Madarame of the Moon-Lit Sands."

"Uh…what do you do?"

"We merely play compositions that we've come up with while sharing a light and refreshing lunch. It is both a pleasing distraction to pass the idle hours of the day and a way to enrich the self."

Ikkaku was taken aback. He was used to spending free time practicing fighting stances and maneuvers. But these Arrancars were more interested in playing music and eating fruit? He couldn't understand it. It was nothing like the Arrancars he remembered were proud warriors who were often times in the mold of his own Squad. However, he decided that it wouldn't hurt to join them for a bit. He might even get a chance to find out something useful.

_After all, I am on reconnaissance here._

"Uh…I'd be happy to join you?" he said, making it sound more like a question.

"And we would be happy for you to join us. Please?" one of the females chimed in.

Ikkaku followed Ludwig back to the others. The other male introduced himself as Scheller and the other three declared that he was one of the best musicians in all of Las Noches, not that Ikkaku really cared. The two women were introduced as Marie and Emilia. Once introductions were made, they sat down to eat and talk. Ikkaku listened while he ate some of the fruit. The conversations were good as such small-talk went, but he would have preferred something a bit more substantial.

But one lesson that held true throughout life is that only fools complain of gifts received without demand.

"Here, have some honey wine Madarame," Marie said and held out a crystal goblet filled with an amber liquid. "I'm sure that you haven't tasted anything like it before in the halls you hail from."

Ikkaku sniffed at the liquor and took a sip. He thought that Marie was right on that one. He was used to sake and had tried beer on his trips to the World of the Living, but the honey wine was a pleasant mixture of sweet and tart. It wasn't as overpowering as the sake he was used to drinking, but he was not looking to get drunk at the moment. He drained the rest of the goblet. This received a sound of disapproval from Scheller. Ikkaku ignored him.

"That was actually really good," he whispered.

"I too am sure that you don't have anything like it where you're from, Nightlander," Scheller said.

"Well…we do have alcohol where I'm from, but nothing like this. So…how long did you know I was here? And how did you know where I was?"

"Oh…we knew the moment you arrived," Emilia replied. "Your Spiritual Energy is extremely strong, but it lacks any kind of proper control. A simple Pesquisa revealed your hiding place."

"Out of curiosity," Ludwig said as he leaned forward. "What do you do in your tribe?"

Ikkaku thought about it for a moment. He felt that a bit of honesty was probably in order.

"I'm…a warrior."

The Arrancars looked at each other and then at Ikkaku. Scheller looked a little disgusted, but the other three looked even more intrigued. He found himself disliking both kinds of attention.

_Great, here we are trying to keep a low profile and we've already gotten the attention of a local VIP and now I'm being looked at like some kind of exotic fish._

"A warrior," Marie said. Her voice was filled with awe. "I've heard of such a thing. So this is what a warrior from The Night looks like."

"Best not get too close dear lady," Scheller warned. He glared at Ikkaku. "For all we know he could be from one of the more…savage tribes."

"If he proves to be too violent," Ludwig said as he put a hand on Scheller's shoulder, "we can deal with him accordingly."

Ikkaku wondered what Ludwig meant by that. He was about to ask when he saw the look in their eyes. There was a slow heat in them that he had seen in Unohana's eyes whenever he caused problems in the Squad 4 Barracks. He decided that it was best not to ask.

"Now, now, there's no need for that kind of talk," Emilie said. "Can't you see that you're making our guest nervous? Rather poor form having invited him to our presence when he was reluctant."

"Oh…you're right," Ludwig said and smiled. "Please, forgive us if we offended you in any way."

"I suppose I can't blame you. The tribe I'm from isn't exactly the most hospitable. I apologize for making you feel nervous," Ikkaku said. He was intrigued.

_Have the Arrancars actually demilitarized? If that's true the only one who would be angrier than The Vanguard would be the Captain._

"Well I suppose we could accept your apology," Scheller said. His disgust was still evident. "I for one do not trust those who use the sword for the sole purpose of killing needlessly as the brute Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez did and as…she would have done with her followers had the Great Father not intervened.

"Such paths reap the fruits and woe. History has taught us that. But the past is the past for all that. We must learn from the mistakes and do all in our power to ensure that the Great Father's Sorrow does not happen again." Scheller watched Ikkaku intently as he spoke.

_Hmm…was there some kind of falling out among the remaining Espada?_

"Yes," Marie said as she looked in the direction where five great towers rose high into the heavens. A tear trickled down her cheek. Somehow that casual tear troubled him. "But you're right. The past is the past." She turned her attention back to Ikkaku. Her eyes glittered with eagerness again. "I've been intrigued by what kind of music is performed among the other tribes. Would you please give us a demonstration? All of the tales that have reached us say very little of the music of The Night."

Ikkaku looked at her. He rubbed his bald head.

_Well, it couldn't hurt. Besides, I do kinda owe them for the food and wine._

"Well…alright. I'm sure that one couldn't hurt," he said reluctantly.

"Here," Scheller said and handed him a slender case. "Most Arrancars in Las Noches learn how to play the flute and from what we've heard it's the one most used, outside of drums," the tone of his voice suggested a low opinion of drums.

Ikkaku was about to take the flute out when his eyes fell on the violin case propped against the fallen pillar. Ikkaku could feel tears coming into his eyes at the memories that the sight of a mere violin case brought.

"If you don't mind, I would like to try my hand at the violin," he said not taking his eyes off the case.

The other Arrancars looked surprised. Scheller cocked his head slightly.

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want you to do something that could anger your tribe," he ventured suddenly awkward. Ikkaku gave a small smile. It seemed that his lie was closer to the truth than intended regarding his origins.

"What they don't know won't hurt me."

"Well, if you insist." Scheller opened the violin case and brought out the violin and bow. He tuned it slightly before holding the instrument out to Ikkaku. "Please, honor us with a song."

"Uh…OK."

Ikkaku took hold of the violin and bow. He tuned it a little bit more and ran the bow across the strings experimentally. He shook his head a little and tuned it just a little bit more. After all, he was very out-of-practice. He smiled this time when he heard the sound that the bow made as it ran over the strings. He began to play.

The music drifted through the still air among the ruins, stirring it with melody. The music became one with the ruins. Ikkaku felt as though he was pouring all of his grief, rage, and sense of failure from that long ago war into this single song.

He wept as he remembered how Yumichika encouraged him to take up some kind of musical instrument. Ikkaku had, of course, resisted. He insisted that a true man only needed to know how to kill their enemy.

_"That may be,"_ Yumichika had told him, his voice echoing through the decades. _"But you never know when knowing how to play a musical instrument could come in handy. A real man is always prepared so he can coolly respond in any situation, and never be made a fool of."_

Yumichika had been rather odd, but he was also Ikkaku's closest friend. They had been friends long before they entered the Gotei. Ikkaku took up the violin as a way of dealing with his old friend's death and to honor him. However, he always practiced it in secret since he didn't want to look weak before anyone else. Plus, Captain Zaraki wasn't known to appreciate men who could play any musical instruments. So, like his Bankai, Ikkaku kept his musical talents hidden.

_What's one more secret? I've got quite a few of them. Heh…it's funny, but for a proud brute, I'm actually quite a complex guy._

He allowed the final notes to fade as the song reached its natural conclusion. He heard applause and saw that the four Arrancars were applauding him. This was…surprising. He had never known any kind of appreciation for anything outside his fighting skills from anyone. And now, here were four Arrancars showing their appreciation for his musical talents. He gave a slight bow in hopes that was the appropriate response.

"Bravo sir," Scheller said, smiling. "That was absolutely splendid. I see that my prejudices against you were unfounded. I apologize for thinking that you were nothing more than an uncivilized brute of the sands. You have just demonstrated the type of talent that all civilized society should strive for."

"Uh…thanks…I guess."

"We must give you something in return. Lunch is hardly a fair trade," Marie said. "Hold on. I think I might have the thing." She reached into a small pouch at her waist. "Let's see here…I know it's…ah…here it is!" she cried out and brought out a silver medallion hanging from a silver necklace. "It's appropriate that this goes to you Madarame. The man who gave this to me gave it out of gratitude for me healing him."

"Marie is a Healer and one of the best," Emilie said. "It was fortunate that she found that poor Arrancar. When was it?"

"I believe it was only last year or maybe the year before that," she replied. "I found him while I was taking a quaint walk under the moonlight. This was before the Privaron started demanding passes. Either way, when I found him he looked as if he had been ambushed."

"Most likely by Berserkers," Ludwig whispered to Ikkaku. "Those are true brutes with absolutely no real culture what-so-ever. Fortunately they're dying out."

"How do you know I'm not a…a Berserker?" Ikkaku asked. After all, he was a member of Squad 11 and they had been often times referred to by that word.

"It's like I said. They have absolutely no real culture. They're all mindless brutes who care about killing. That's why they're dying out. Hueco Mundo shall only sigh at their passing. You, however do have a sense of culture. So, you can't possibly be a Berserker," Ludwig explained.

"Never mind that," Marie broke in frowning a little at the interruption. "Please, take this token of our appreciation for demonstrating your musical skills. I hope it will serve as a stone to help bridge the gap between The Night and The Day."

Ikkaku took the medallion and looked at it. His eyes widened for a moment and then he looked at Marie who looked at him curiously.

"I…thank you for this gift. Uh…is the man who gave this to you still here?" he asked trying to keep his voice from trembling too much.

"Oh no, sir," she replied. "When he was better he left us. He said that he had to look for his companions. I suppose that some of the others he was traveling with survived whatever ambush they fell in. Or so he believed."

"Which direction did he go in?"

"I'm afraid I do not know that. Why? Did you know him?" she pressed eagerly.

Ikkaku looked at the medallion and closed his fist around it. He didn't know how to answer without giving too much away. So he merely shrugged.

"Well, if you did. I hope you find him before any of the dangerous tribes of The Night find him," Ludwig said.

"Thanks. I do have one more question. Which way did he arrive from?"

"I'm afraid that I do not remember that either. I find that it's hard to remember details," Marie apologized. Ikkaku thought he caught a pitying look from Ludwig directed to his companions as they nodded in agreement.

"I see. Thanks anyways, but I need to get going. Thanks for the food and the booze. And for allowing me to play your violin," he said bidding them farewell.

_There's something wrong here,_ he thought as he took his leave to polite farewells. However, regardless of whatever it was, he had his priorities.

As Ikkaku walked away he opened his fist. He looked at the medallion charm of the Yarrow. He only knew one man who carried it on any mission he went on. He now knew that Tatsuki's suspicions were right.

_At least one of them was here, and he was violently separated from the group. After he recovers from his injuries he leaves Las Noches because he believes that there are other survivors. But what happened in the first place? Whatever this tribe business is if the Expedition's identity or purpose had been compromised then word would have gotten out._

_I need to tell Commander Arisawa about this. But first, I need to find Hanataro. I hope nothing bad has happened to him. Otherwise Lieutenant Arisawa will kill me, and then Captain Unohana will revive me to make me wish I was still dead._

Ikkaku began to run as _that_ smile seemed to loom over him.

_**Hanataro Yamada**_

"Uh…it's nice," Hanataro said.

He and Adrianna stood in front of what resembled the ruins of an ancient Greek temple. The roof was missing save for a segment that was still balanced on some pillars. The remaining pillars stood in broken rows, nearly covered with greenish-gray vines with small silvery leaves. He reached out and felt one of the waxy leaves between his thumb and forefinger. He noticed that they were shaped like teardrops.

"'tis called Inoue's Tears," she told him as she joined him in looking at the vines.

"Inoue?" he asked surprised.

"Yes. 'tis said that she wept after Ichigo Kurosaki killed Ulquiorra and the first vines sprouted where her tears fell. 'tis a lovely story, no?"

She tugged him away from where he stood. They walked to a wedge that stuck up from the sand-streaked platform that served as the floor. He supposed that it was some kind of door and was proved right when Adrianna grabbed the iron rung that was fixed to the wedge and pulled to reveal a staircase the led down. The walls on the three sides around the staircase were covered in a faintly luminescent green moss with small buds that looked as though they would become a burnt-orange color when they fully matured.

"That is called Lover's Confession. 'tis said that they grew when Ulquiorra and Orihime admitted their love for each other before he became ash. While life denied their love, nature allowed it to be fulfilled.

"They have lovely orange flowers that turn into berries. But the berries taste terrible. I suppose 'tis what comes of star-crossed love: bitter fruit."

She sighed, clearly touched by whatever story was behind the flower. Since he had heard some of the event from Ichigo he had a feeling that the story she knew was merely history twisted by time and romantic thinking into a legend that was used to elicit such a reaction.

The lower level corridor was also covered with the moss. However, the moss on the floor had been trampled down by Adrianna and whatever neighbors she may have. They soon came to a steel door that was bare of the plant. Adrianna opened it for him.

He stepped into more green. But this was a darker green than the moss. The large room was filled with low lying furniture and there were potted plants around the room. The floor was covered by a carpet of geometric shapes with varying shades of green. The walls were painted to resemble a jungle landscape that was broken by a blue painted sky on the ceiling and close to the top of each wall. The furniture was also painted green. The room was filled with the soft light coming from the crystal pillars that stood at each corner of the room.

He started to wonder if green was her natural color or if she dyed her hair so that it would reflect her love of green. He saw Adrianna kneeling at a low table and uncorking a bottle of amber-colored liquid. She pulled the cork and a sweet scent filled the air.

"Honey wine, a sweet treat for a sweet man. I'll get the glasses and your surprise," she told him batting her green lashes seductively.

Hanataro swallowed. He knew that he should be going but the information she gave him on the medicinal plants of Hueco Mundo during their trip to the temple could be vital. He owed her for her information.

He looked at the bottle and picked it up. He took a closer inspection of the liquid within. Captain Unohana didn't like alcohol and he tended to follow her example. Plus, getting drunk on a mission like this would be very bad. He knew he was naïve, but he wasn't naïve enough to think that her friendliness would survive if she learned he was a spy, and a natural enemy. And he didn't like the idea of having to fight her. He heard a clack and saw a glass placed in front of him. He raised his head and…

Apparently she was naturally green.

His face went ten shades of red deeper than it had ever been before. His mind stalled and he could feel his cock taking charge of the situation

"You're a very nice young man. I would like a nice man to be my first, no?"

He gasped for breath as the completely naked Adrianna joined him. He found himself wanting to do all sorts of things with her, starting with her green hair. She knelt down and grabbed the bottle to pour a glass of wine.

That action kicked the jammed gears into place. He didn't know how he did it, but he was able to Sonído away from a kneeling position. He slammed the steel door behind him. A shocked Adrianna stood to her feet and looked at the door with wide eyes. She pouted her lips as she looked down at her body.

"Was it me, no?"

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

Tatsuki walked down the empty hall. She had looked at the other levels below this one and didn't see much that was worth noting, except that Kisuke Urahara had been a very busy man, far busier than he had any right to be in her opinion. She wondered how many Arrancars it took to do the amount of work she saw and how long it took them. Then again, how had Aizen been able to build this place in secret anyway?

As she worked her way up the tower, she saw that all of the levels were brightly lit with the natural light that this odd stone cast. But the level she was on now was different from the others.

The pieces of furniture in the hall were hidden under tarps and large pieces of cloth were hung over what could either be paintings or mirrors on the walls. Even though the area was lit with the same stone as the other floors, it was dimmer because of the dark, semi-translucent material hung over them. A layer of dust and even bits of sand added another layer to the sense of neglect.

_Why is this floor so…deserted?_

The expedition leader walked down the hall and looked at the walls on either side of her. She stopped in front of a panel in the wall that didn't match with the other panels. Somehow it wasn't level with the rest of the wall and was slightly angled. Also, part of the wood engraving looked as though it had been pushed in. Untrained eyes would have missed the slight variations.

"Hello, what do we have here?" she whispered.

She knew that secrets were valuable and hidden doors, while cliché, tended to lead to them.

She placed her hand on the molding that separated the wood engraving from the rest of the wall and gently pulled the panel towards her until it was wide enough to allow her to enter. She poked her head into the room and saw that, unlike the hall outside, it was more brightly lit, but not to the same degree as the levels below. The few pieces of furniture in this room were not covered either, but looked as though they were kept in relatively good shape.

She looked at the marble fireplace frame and saw there was a gold etching of a wolf on one side and a gold shark on the other with etchings of gold vines winding up both sides and meeting in the center of the mantle in a cluster of grapes. There was something that was either a mirror or a painting hanging over the fireplace, but it was difficult to say since that was covered. But unlike the other tarps, this one was rather ruffled and she could barely make out an upper corner of the ornate gold frame poking out from under the tarp.

_It's been tampered with. I wonder…_

However, all thoughts of what was under that tarp left her mind when her eyes were drawn to an open door. She walked over to it and peered inside. She saw a large bed in blue sheets that was one the far-side of the room. It looked as though it hadn't been slept in for quite some time. She took a step into the room despite the feeling that she was invading someplace private. She had to be thorough in her investigations, regardless of her feelings.

She looked around the room. The place felt as though it was some kind of sanctuary.

_But who used this place? Why did they use it? And are they still here?_

She took another step into the large room and tripped over something. She let out a small cry and went sprawling. She moaned, embarrassed more than hurt.

_Agh, thank Chappy that no one was here to see that. Honestly, I can dodge Kido spell but I still tripped over some kind of floor hazard? That's fucked up._

"Gyah, what did I…?"

She stopped when she saw that she had tripped over someone who was sleeping on the floor. A copy of Steinbeck's _Of Mice and Men_ was draped over his eyes. Rage built up in her as she got to her feet. She stomped the short distance to the figure dressed in a similar shade of white as the carpet.

"Who…in their right mind…WOULD SLEEP ON THE FLOOR?" she shouted and kicked the figure.

The figure only let out a snort.

"Ugh…just…just ten more minutes," the figure said in a muffled voice.

Tatsuki looked at the sleeper. Her eye twitched in irritation.

"I don't think so," she growled and grabbed the sleeper by his coat.

She saw that the figure was a man with long, messy brown hair that covered a good deal of his face. She could make out the brown stubble that covered his cheeks and the faded goatee as she smacked the book away. His mask fragment resembled the lower jaw of some kind of canine, but he also wore a medallion made from an emerald that hung from a leather cord around his neck. She didn't think anything of it because she could tell that the man was still asleep. Her irritation only became more intense when she saw that his eyes were still closed.

"Alright, it's time to wake up, Rip van Winkle," she snarled and started to twist his nose violently.

"OUCH! Would you stop doing that? OUCH! Alright, alright, I'm up. I'm up. I'm up. I'm….," he griped and then looked at her confused. "Oh…you're not who I was expecting."

"Who were you expecting?" Tatsuki snapped.

"Never mind," the man said and brushed some of the hair that was covering his face back. Tatsuki thought that he looked familiar, but she was too agitated to even bother trying to remember where she might know his face from.

"What were you doing sleeping on the floor?"

"Huh? Oh…uh…I suppose I just got tired."

"Then why didn't you lie down on the bed?" she asked and pointed. The man looked to the bed and a look of fear came over him.

"No…I…I can't…" he stammered, losing his cool for the first time. He averted his eyes from the bed.

"Huh? Why not?" she asked as her anger dimmed.

"I…I just…I just can't," he moaned.

His blue-grey eyes filled with grief, but there was something else. He closed his eyes and put a hand to his right temple and began to rub with his fingertips. He was muttering something under his breath that Tatsuki couldn't quite make out. When he opened his eyes again, she saw that they were clearer.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and turned his attention to Tatsuki. "I'm sorry, but I…I'm afraid I haven't seen you before. But that's hardly a strange thing since I don't get out much these days."

"It could also be because I'm from…someplace else. What were you doing in here anyways? This whole level seems deserted," Tatsuki inquired. Her curiosity was somewhat replacing her irritation.

"I…just needed to go someplace quiet and this…this is really the only place I can go. It's odd that here…of all places…I could feel…at peace. Yet it's…I'm sorry, I'm rambling again." He smiled as if at some bad joke that was still funny.

Tatsuki looked at him. The sense of familiarity was still there and now it was starting to itch her brain.

"What's your name?"

The man looked at her in surprise. Then he looked away and sighed.

"I'm nobody. Who are you? Are you nobody too?" he quoted. Tatsuki shook her head, fully scowling again.

_Honestly, why is he quoting Emily Dickinson? I only asked him for his damn name. For that matter, why did Urahara give the Arrancars boring books? They could be reading something like the Bourne novels or _The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo_. Now those are good reads._

"I asked you what your name is and here you are quoting Emily Dickinson."

"I'm sorry…it's just that…I suppose I've come to hate my name. I was never overly fond of it, but these days it seems too heavy to bother with."

"Yeah, well, what is it?" She was starting to dislike his evasions.

"George Milton," he offered. Tatsuki let out a growl and kicked him in the side.

_No it's not. He's lying about his own name, but why? Why would he lie about his own name?_

However, even though she really wanted to chew this guy out, she kept silent. She had a feeling that this guy must have done something to cause him to become like this. She watched as he picked up the book he had used to cover his eyes. He flipped through it until he came to a spot and folded on the pages. He looked at the bed.

"That's all for today," he whispered. He turned at looked at Tatsuki. She couldn't quite read the expression on his face. "So…what are you doing here? Did you give me your name? I think I may have missed it."

"I was looking around. I didn't expect to find anyone else here. My name's Eurydice by the way."

"Whoever named you had a sense of humor."

He stifled another yawn and Tatsuki only frowned. She had seen Lilynette do that as well. But she supposed that since there was very little to do then everyone was probably like that. She couldn't help but think about how this place, and not just the tower but all of Las Noches, felt empty…exhausted.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he whispered and walked towards a faded loveseat over by the fireplace and picked up a violin case that Tatsuki hadn't notice. He saw her looking at it. "What? It's just a violin."

_You're joking. Arrancars can play the violin? Hmm, that might look rather interesting in the report, but are there any real merits for it? Well, it may help to get The Vanguard to back off on their "All Arrancars are only violent monsters" bandwagon._

"I'm just…surprised," she answered honestly.

The man looked at her and rubbed his head. She couldn't tell if it was irritation or something else. Then he merely shrugged. He walked out of the secret entrance and held the hidden door open for her like a gentleman. Tatsuki started to move towards the door and then stopped. She looked at the shrouded item above the fireplace. But then she thought that it was probably just another old painting that Kisuke smuggled in here and was a personal favorite for this strange Arrancar.

She walked out of the room and the man closed the door behind her. He pressed on the panel until there was a clicking sound to indicate that the locking mechanism caught and the part of the wood engraving that looked to have been pushed in popped back into matching the surrounding carving. He lingered for a moment. He pressed his hands reverently to the wood.

Tatsuki looked at the panel and was surprised at how well it fit in to the wall.

_Man, even I would have had problems finding it._

She looked at the man who only stifled another yawn as he stepped away from the wall.

"Well, you better get back to wherever you came from," he muttered and began to walk away.

"Hey, hold on. Wait, I want to ask you something. ARE YOU JUST GONNA IGNORE ME?"

The man stopped and his back straightened a little. Then he loosened up again. He turned slightly to look at her.

"What is it now?" he asked wearily.

"I'm wondering if a group of Arrancars came here. They probably would have tried to visit your master or any of the other bigwigs here a few years ago. Maybe you heard of something like that?"

The man turned around. He cocked his head and sighed.

"Well…did you?"

"Why should I care?"

"You don't have to care, but I do. A very good friend was among them and I vowed to bring her back safely. You may not care about those kinds of things, but I do," she stated hotly.

The man looked at her. For a moment she thought that his lips twitched a little.

"I'm sorry, but it's hard for me to keep track of everything that goes on here. Las Noches is a big place after all."

"That's putting it mildly," Tatsuki whispered. "The odds of us finding out anything are very slim and the Chappy-damn King isn't even here."

The man stiffened and turned to look at her.

"What did you say?" he whispered.

"I said 'Thank you.' I suppose I should let you get back to work or whatever."

"Yeah, I should. Just…don't tell Lilynette you saw me."

Tatsuki thought about what the file on Lilynette said. She chuckled a little bit.

"I won't, old man."

The man nodded and began to walk away again. He stopped again and turned his head to look at her.

"Thank you."

"Uh…you're welcome?"

Tatsuki blinked a couple of times in confusion as she watched the man walk in the direction they had come. She wondered what he was up to and decided to just let him be. She had already had a job to do and the woes of lazy Arrancar weren't her concern.

_**Hanataro Yamada**_

Hanataro came out of the Sonído panting and stumbling in the sands. He spotted another tilting statue and scurried to hide behind it. He propped his back against the smooth surface and panted as he caught his breath. For all he knew, Adrianna was probably chasing after him to do gods knew what to him.

Then he noticed a familiar coppery scent and something wet was on his lips. He opened his mouth a little and allowed his tongue to lick away some of the wetness. Whatever it was had a slightly metallic taste to it. He put the tips of his fingers up to his nose and looked at the red splotches. It was blood.

His nose was bleeding.

_I…I thought that was a myth,_ he thought in shock.

He had actually gotten a nose bleed just by looking at a pretty girl with nothing on but a smile.

He let out a tiny moan as he noticed the droplets of blood that stained his uniform jacket. He pinched his nose and tilted his head back. His mind went back to the scene that caused him to panic and run away.

_There's no way that could have happened,_ he thought. _Girls don't just strip naked and offer themselves to you like that. It doesn't even happen in my dreams. Even if that did happen it would only be for some macho guy to come in and sweep them away like in one of those Romance novels that Lieutenant Isane is always reading. It would happen to someone like Ikkaku, but not to me._

He slumped even lower. He knew that it was pathetic for him to even think such a thing. In some ways he was jealous of Ikkaku and many of the tougher guys in the Gotei. They got all of the attention from the pretty girls. But after being on the receiving end of such attention, Hanataro began to wonder if it really was worth it.

Then he felt it: the presence of a powerful and agitated Arrancar. And it was coming right for him. Of all of the possibilities that came to his mind, the image of the father Adrianna had mentioned hunting him down to gut was the most prominent.

Hanataro sank even lower to make himself as small as possible.

"BAWABAWA!" a voice boomed.

He heard something large sliding across the sand.

"No, let's do the shorter route this time," a tired female voice said.

"BAWA!"

Whatever it was shifted its course and he felt that power moving away from him. There was no doubt about it. The female who was apparently riding on top of something was an Espada or something in the same class.

_**Ikkaku Madarame**_

"HANATARO!" Ikkaku called out as he walked through a corridor in the compound he had found himself in. It looked to be in good repair and so he guessed that it was most likely inhabited. If it was, nobody was responding.

_Well, this isn't going very well,_ he thought. _I mean, I'm not as bad as Captain Zaraki or Yachiru when it comes to directions, but this is ridiculous._

The problem was that while following Plan A in his search, which was to make his way to the Five Towers that were at the center of Las Noches in hopes that he would cross paths with Hanataro that way, he forgot how big Las Noches was according to the reports. As a result, he got lost. Plus, it didn't help that Hanataro wasn't exactly tall or emit a powerful beacon of Reiatsu for him to follow. So he had to resort to Plan B: walk around and shout his name until he found the little pip-squeak.

"This is such a pain," a sighed. "Who knows, maybe whoever lives here saw him."

He took another few steps forward and stopped in his tracks. He reached towards his Zanpakuto, grabbing the hilt and sliding the blade out a couple of inches from the sheath. He crouched into a defensive posture. He couldn't see his opponent, but he could feel them. His eyes darted towards any place that could be used as a hiding spot, even though the flaring Reiatsu didn't indicate a sneak attack. He felt the Arrancar's Spiritual Pressure coming closer and then turned his head to the wall.

_Holy shit, are they seriously going to…?_

He didn't have time to finish his thought as a hurtling figure burst through the stone wall. Ikkaku barely had enough time to dodge the debris sent flying. He kept low and kept his eyes on the dust cloud that obstructed his view. He heard the sound of someone going in and out of Sonído. He unsheathed his sword.

"What are you doing here, Stranger?" someone asked from behind him.

He glanced over his shoulder.

_Huh…that's a nice trick. He can throw his Reiatsu the way some can throw their voice. Tch…the idiot really should have kept that secret. That way he could have an ace up his sleeve._

Ikkaku re-sheathed his Zanpakuto. He had a feeling that he really didn't need it and he would rather not cause any unnecessary trouble. He had a medic to find and a Commander's wrath to avoid.

"I'm looking for someone. What's it to you?" Ikkaku replied while he palmed the pommel of his sword.

"Heh, such poor manners…I suppose it's to be expected from a barbarian," the person said with an audible sneer.

The dust settled and the speaker came into view. He was a tall, strapping man with thick orange eyebrows and closely-cropped orange hair. His face looked as though it was accustomed to sneering. His nose and chin were a little too prominent to make him handsome in most senses.

He wore loose white trousers that were tucked into a pair of black boots that looked to have been freshly polished. He wore a long-sleeved white shirt with ornate embroidery done in silver thread on the collars and cuffs and pearl-studded buttons. He also wore a cream-colored jerkin that he kept unbuttoned with ornate embroidery of thin golden vines running along bottom and a two gold studs on each shoulder. He wore a purple sash on top of the jerkin and crossed his chest from his left shoulder to his right hip. Ikkaku noticed the pair of punch knifes that hung from the white leather belt fastened over the jerkin.

"Oh…so you call me 'rude' and yet you haven't even introduced yourself after barging in like that," Ikkaku said.

His expression made the fact that he was not impressed evident. The deepening scowl on the other man's face told him that he was accustomed to instant respect. Ikkaku thought that it made sense since this man's Reiatsu was a rather decent level when compared to that other bunch.

Still, Ikkaku respected those who had a kick-ass vibe to them. That vibe wasn't here.

"If you need help, I'll show you how it's done. My name's Ikkaku. And you are?"

Apparently the man failed to notice that Ikkaku's voice dripped with sarcasm since he seemed to take a great deal of pleasure from the question. Ikkaku had a feeling that he knew what kind of man this was. That feeling only became stronger when the man grinned and puffed out his chest.

"I am Rodolfo Mosqueda, Deputy-Commandant of the Privaron."

Ikkaku cocked an eyebrow.

_Uh…okay…um…am I supposed to be impressed? Although, now that I think about it. The last name is a bit familiar._

"That's right. I am descendant of the honorable Gantenbainne Mosqueda."

Ikkaku's eyes widened as he remembered where he heard that name from. The man seemed to take it as a sign of respect and awe since he closed his eyes and his face took on a haughty expression.

"Oh yeah, that's right. He was the guy with the orange afro who survived by getting his ass kicked in the first round by Sado."

He was pleased that he remembered that obscure fight from the Winter War. Rodolfo, however, looked as though he was trying to restrain himself from attacking Ikkaku for the insult.

"Watch your tongue. A barbarian named for some second-rate Shinigami has no place mocking true greatness. Although, I suppose you barbarians admire the Soul Reapers as your fellow warmongers," he spat.

"What the hell are you even talking about? Look, normally I would love to kick your ass. And you've given me plenty of motivation to do just that. But I need to find my shrimp of a companion before he dies and his…his mother kills me."

He sighed at the last part and a shudder went up his spine. For a moment he actually thought that Captain Unohana was standing right behind him giving him _that_ smile, which all of Squad 11 knew as "The Smile of Doom." Then the feeling was gone and he focused his attention back to Rodolfo.

He had suspected this man to be one of two things. The first was that he was one of those tough guys who become the best fighter in the area and think they're the real deal. The second was that he was some kind of noble who thinks that just because they're descended from a badass automatically makes them a badass.

He really loved puncturing those egos. He was not from some ancient aristocratic lineage and he did not have any delusions of being the best fighter and he was not a class sell-out like Rukia. He really wanted to put Rodolfo in his place. However, he needed to find Hanataro. And he had a feeling that Tatsuki didn't want him to make a scene and he respected her.

"Heh, just because the Princess let you in doesn't mean you can get away with anything, savage. The King lets her do as she wishes and we Privaron carry out his will. But he also wants order. If you disrupt that order then I shall show you the power of a Privaron lineage. I have never lost a duel in twenty years as a Privaron."

_Twenty years? Does he actually think that's a big deal? Then again…Ichigo did beat me and he was nothing but a teen way back. But this guy ain't like the "Strawberry."_

"Tch, do you seriously think that I should be impressed? I've fought in wars, buddy. And that unbeaten record is nothing. Two of my best fights ended with me spitting up blood on the ground. If you fight with your all and got beaten and yet came back for more, then I'll probably consider that you might be an actual warrior. Now, I got things to do. So, I'll be on my way."

Ikkaku laughed as he walked around the man. He allowed some of his Reiatsu to leak out. Just as Ikkaku thought, Rodolfo took a step back and stayed put as Ikkaku went into a Sonído.

_**Hanataro Yamada**_

He was certain that he had made a mistake. And to make it worse it was a stupid mistake.

Despite his timid nature he was not worried about the underground. In his bad old days he had hidden under floors and the like for shelter from the elements and people. In Squad 4 he felt the same as his comrades: the underground tunnels were not only a place of work but a sanctuary to retreat to from the other Squads' contempt. Their headquarters was filled with members from other Squads since it was a hospital. But the tunnels were essentially an exclusive domain of Squad 4. They were a refuge where they could retreat to when they needed someplace to feel safe.

So when the floor gave out from under his step and revealed the staircase heading down he had not been as wary as he should have been. He was lost and he was rather wary of searching for an Arrancar to get directions.

_Maybe it leads to that underground rail system. There was a map down there in that station, so maybe the other stations have maps that I can look at, right?_

It was true that he didn't know where he was in relation to the other stations that were marked. But it was better than just wandering around and get more lost.

Or at least that was what he thought then.

He walked through the poorly-lit and very large chamber. He guessed that it was about the size of one of the major storehouses that the Squads used. A row of crystals hung down from the ceiling. They cast a poor light which indicated either that whatever source of energy controlled their glow was only being allowed to trickle into them or they were old and had grown dull. He caught glints of more crystals along the walls, but for whatever reason they were completely blacked-out.

But what made him realize that he may have made a mistake was the large number of boxes and large intermodal containers that filled the room. He could make out the overhead crane tracks with the steel cables and hooks hanging down, ready to lift whatever container was hooked up to them. There were forklifts lined up near the rows of industrial shelving filled with large crates and pallets.

He knew that one doesn't hide a mere storage house. And he had been through enough experience with things labeled "LIMITED CLEARANCE" to know the feel of a place he shouldn't be in.

This was such a place.

He reached the end of the room and saw how much he might be out of his depth. Standing nearly back to the wall and raised on a loading dock was a Garganta Gateway. It wasn't the same as the Generator that Squad 12 used but it was close enough that he could guess its function.

He realized that seeing what was in some of the boxes would be a very good idea. He might find something important. He went over to some of the boxes and was about to open one of them when he heard a static noise followed by footsteps.

His heart nearly skipped a beat. For him, the sound was like the sound of Squad 11's hordes going on a rampage. Fearing what would happen if he was found he quickly hid behind the nearest row of boxes. The wall crystals flared to life and the ones overhead became brighter.

"…troublesome, but not as bad as you're making it out," a slightly hoarse male voice said.

"I'm sorry, Capo, but it's my job to worry for you," a younger, female voice responded.

Hanataro could hear their footsteps coming closer and he could feel their Reiatsu. The female was weaker than Adrianna's had been, but the male had the Reiatsu level of a Lieutenant.

"And you do that and so many other jobs very well, Lycia. And don't think I'm ignoring the threat that Monastario poses. To be honest, I fear that it's partly my fault. I should have nipped him in the bud before he came close to leading the Privaron," the male said, apparently rummaging through a crate.

"You underestimated him?" she asked, apparently surprised but also expectant.

"Yes, but I think I was also too curious to see what he would do. And do you want to know what conclusion I've reached about him? He's nothing more than a shiny new relic. He's more suited to the Golden Age than to this state of decay that you see. I suppose I'm getting a little…whimsical in my old age."

The male sighed dramatically. Hanataro heard the popping of a cork followed by the sound of someone taking a deep drink. The footsteps were coming closer to his hiding spot.

"I trust that you're done playing then, Capo?"

"Yes. Do not worry. My love of games does not trump my love of winning. As to your question…we'll become the forest."

"Are…are you suggesting that we leave Las Noches?"

There was another sound of someone taking a drink from the bottle. This time there was a satisfied sigh.

"Ah…real champagne! Thank the absent gods, Lycia, that Europa does not share the sorry lot of most mortals. Or else the higher powers might need to settle for Asian or, worse, the piss that Americans, both in Constitutional America and…"

"But Capo, Constitutional America was overthrown at least a couple of decades ago by the General. It's now part of Restored America. Remember?"

"Oh…that's right. Well, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that it's still piss and those in Restored America dare to call it 'alcohol.' Tch…Americans. Oh sure it will get you drunk, but to treat your pallet in the way it deserves to be treated requires a level of obsessive refinement that takes centuries to cultivate.

"Care to taste perfection with me? After all 'One cannot develop taste from what is of average quality but only from the very best.'"

The silence was drawn out. Hanataro felt his neck start to itch as the woman's Reiatsu became prickly.

"Hmm, oh…that was a quote. Honestly, what does the younger generation do with all of those books that the 'King' left lying around? I trust that you haven't become illiterate."

"I still remember how to read, Capo," she answered with a hint of pride.

"That's what I like about you. You lack the apathy that most of the 'Eloi' have allowed to take over. It takes hold too easily. Like The Night's Song…

"However, right now our main problem is the Commandant, and his Deputy. They are too in sync to get to turn against each other like we've done in the past. Too make things worse…they're not content to just throw their weight around with the Numeros. They actually want to achieve something.

"It's like I said before. They're nothing more than shiny new relics.

"They have two large targets in their cross-hairs since their little raids into The Night have yielded so little: us or Lady Nelliel."

Hanataro felt the woman's Reiatsu shudder and then the footsteps began to head away from him.

"Does the former Espada frighten you to chills my dear? Here, have a drink."

It sounded as though she accepted.

"That's…either way it's insane."

"So is he. It's time to make that insanity work to our advantage.

"The Commandant is not stupid. He knows that we're the safer option. However, he has exhausted his patience. He's the type to measure progress with a stick. Right now, our best option is to scale back. We disappear for a bit…probably go to either Paris or Rome or Geneva in the Eurasian Confederation or to London in the Imperial Commonwealth. And we cut our operation in half."

"The clients won't like that."

"It's a good thing that we're their only option. Keep in mind that some of our best clients are in the Privaron and if we get them to think what we want them to think…"

"Ah, I see."

"Good. However, right now the thing that worries me is the stock. We can't afford to hoard any more. I mean just look at this: one's cover nearly blown by a faulty floor.

"I will have to ask Urahara to stop the shipments. At least until the Commandant commits his round-about suicide."

"Couldn't we cut him out? We've played this ruse too long Capo! He still thinks that we represent the King!"

"Oh please, stop calling me 'Capo.' You may call me Davos. We've worked together long enough.

"Here, have some more champagne and we'll go someplace nice. You need to let your hair down every now-and-again," he remarked as their voices drifted away.

Her reply was murmured and then she gave a squeak. Davos laughed softly and with the static sound of Sonído, they were gone.

Hanataro counted to twenty in his head before he poked his head out to look around. The room was a lot less intimidating with the lights on. He suddenly realized that he had just gained some valuable intelligence. There were apparently at least two factions in conflict in the Arrancar ranks. And this "Capo" was not only in charge of one of them, but he was also running a smuggling operation with Urahara.

He wanted to get out of here. A member of the smuggling group could walk in at any time. Or the Capo might come back after realizing he left the lights on. But first he wanted to get an idea of what he was dealing with so that he could bring back a support to Lieutenant Arisawa.

He opened one of the large crates he had been hiding behind. His eyes widened in surprise. The box was full of red cans in packs of six held together in plastic rings. He took one of the packs out and looked at it. He read the white scroll-work running along the side: "Coca-Cola".

"Soda?"

For a moment he was tempted to take one, but decided that taking anything would be too risky. He put the cans back into the box. The next three crates contained cans of various brands of beer and other soda. The crate he checked after that contained jars of olives. A smaller box he checked was filled with packets of cigarettes, everything from the high-end brands like Gold Medallions from the Eurasian Confederacy and King's Delight from the Imperial Commonwealth to the cheap brands like Victory Smokes from Restored America.

"These are just ordinary vice products."

In a way he supposed that it made sense. Kisuke wouldn't trade more dangerous things, at least he hoped not. But Kisuke wasn't known for his integrity. Hanataro supposed that Kisuke's mischievous nature would cause him to add a more criminal element to his secret dealings.

_There might be a specific section with the more…questionable stuff in it on the other side. But do I dare risk it? No, my luck just isn't that good._

He replaced the cover over the final crate and jumped into the central aisle. He used Sonído to get out of that room and back into the open air. He suddenly realized something.

_Agh, why didn't I think of using Sonído before to get to the central towers? I'm so stupid._

He hit his forehead a couple of times and then looked around. He was still too close to the building where he found the hidden passage to the secret warehouse. He wanted to get as much distance away from the building, but he wanted to get as close to the Five Towers as he could. He looked around and saw the hazy outline of the towers rising high into the sky. He lined himself with them and burst into Sonído.

He had never collided with someone in Sonído. It was not a pleasant experience.

"HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE…!" a familiar voice yelled at him as he went tumbling across the sands from the impact. "…I don't believe it," the voice continued. Hanataro rubbed his side where he believed a knee had hit him. The next thing he knew, he was being hauled to his feet, and was met with the sight of an irritated Ikkaku Madarame.

"I've been looking for you." Hanataro wished that his mask was less intimidating. "Well, at least I finally found…. HOLY SHIT! IS THAT BLOOD? HOW BADLY HURT ARE YOU? IT'S NOT FATAL, RIGHT? Oh shit, it is. Oh great, just great, they're so going to kill me or worse. DON'T DIE ON ME! DON'T DIE ON ME DAMN IT!" Ikkaku shouted shaking the confused Hanataro in his grip.

"I'm…sorry?" Hanataro managed.

_Oh man, how am I going to explain how I got a bloody nose?_

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

Tatsuki sighed as she reached the bottom of the stairs after coming out of Sonído. It had taken some practice to be able to get used to using the maneuver on the stairs. The levels above where she encountered the strange man proved to be a bust. Most of them were not even developed or were completely empty and the ones even higher up didn't even have a decent floor. Apparently they had given up on the construction work at some point. So, she had abandoned her search of the owner.

_Well…that was a waste of time._

"YOU'RE JOKING!" a shriek cracked through the air.

Tatsuki froze at the shout. It was coming from the sitting area and, as far as she knew, there were only two people in there and one was Nemu.

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT? ANSWER ME!" the shriek veered towards an angered whine.

_Oh boy, what did Nemu do to get Lilynette that angry?_

She walked into the room and saw Lilynette looking down at the card in her hand, giving it her death glare.

"I win again," Nemu said still tipping her hand.

"NO FAIR! YOU CHEATING CHEATER! NOBODY BEATS THE QUEEN OF CARDS THIS MANY TIMES AND NOT BE CHEATING!" Lilynette leaned closer. Her eyes blazed with intensity. "What's your secret? Are you counting cards? Are you keeping track of where I put a card in my hand? How are you doing it?"

Nemu only shrugged.

Lilynette threw her hands up in the air and let out a cry of exasperation. Letting the card drop she grabbed Nemu's jacket and tried to shake her as the older helmeted woman remained unfazed.

"FINE, BE THAT WAY!" Lilynette shouted. "See if I…if I…if I…c-c-ca-yare," she yawned.

The girl fell on the couch. She put her head on Nemu's lap and fell asleep and started to lightly snore.

"Hmm, this is most peculiar," Nemu muttered as she poked the girl's helmet experimentally. "It would appear as though the young Arrancar suffers from Narcolepsy."

"Gee, ya think?"

"Did you discover anything Eurydice?"

Tatsuki supposed that with an Arrancar on Nemu's lap it was appropriate to keep to the aliases.

"Nah, this place may end up being a dead-end after all. But that doesn't make sense. They would have had to come by here at some point," Tatsuki mused.

"Perhaps she did not get a chance to. It is very possible that something outside of Las Noches got to the team before they could come here," Nemu remarked as she started stroking the girl's armored head.

Tatsuki shook her head and scowled.

"No, I'm sure that they came here first. I don't know it for sure. But my instincts are telling me that they were here."

Nemu only remained silent and looked at the sleeping girl.

"Mommy," Lilynette whispered as a smile spread across her face. "Could you help me wake up Daddy? I'll go low and you can go high."

"I do not understand," Nemu said and looked at Tatsuki. "How can she have a mother when she is merely a part of the Primera Espada?"

Tatsuki didn't say anything. It was an odd question coming from a lab creation like Nemu. But Tatsuki wasn't thinking about that. She was thinking about the covered art and the missing sculptures. Her mind suddenly caught on something.

_I thought that the reports said that Starrk and Harribel were married. I saw a lot of artwork depicting Starrk. So why isn't there anything showing Harribel?_

She thought that some of the pieces to this puzzle were coming together. However, she wasn't in the business of jumping to conclusions without sufficient evidence.

"Oh…did she fall asleep again?" a familiar voice asked.

Tatsuki jumped and turned. It was the man whom she encountered during her expedition of the higher levels. He was fidgeting with the emerald medallion that still hung from around his neck. Nemu lifted the sleeping girl enough to get out from under her and gently placed her head back on the couch. She rose and gave a bow to the man.

"It is a great honor to finally meet you, Master Starrk."

Tatsuki gave a start and looked at the man with wide eyes. She remembered seeing a photo of him in his dossier, but she had only remembered it when Nemu said the name. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Oh boy," he moaned.

"Y-y-you're Coyote Starrk?" Starrk gave another sigh and rubbed his head. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?"

"I…was glad to have finally met someone who didn't recognize me. I just…I only wanted to have some kind of normal conversation for once with someone other than Nelliel or Lilynette." He looked at the sleeping girl and a look of sorrow filled his face. "She tries so hard not to fall asleep anymore."

"Why?" she asked, a bit harsher than she intended.

Starrk looked at Tatsuki and then back to Lilynette. She was surprised to see the tenderness in those haunted eyes.

"She dreams of better days and when she wakes up…"

Tatsuki nodded. She understood what it was like to have a good life in dreams only to wake up in a cruel world and have that happiness destroyed all over again. For her it centered around a certain orange-haired girl and the friendship they had.

"I do not understand," Nemu broke in casually.

_Of course you wouldn't. Your "father" didn't program you to understand the effects of having something you want to keep to be taken away from you. I don't know whether that's a good thing or just another case of him being a cruel, sadistic bastard._

Starrk looked at Nemu and then at Tatsuki as if for confirmation on his thoughts.

"I suppose those who haven't lost those they loved would understand," he remarked as he looked at Nemu.

"You're right about that. So why did you come here?"

"I just wanted to greet my guests properly since I did such a fine job of that earlier."

Nemu tapped Tatsuki on the shoulder.

"What is it?" Tatsuki whispered.

"You encountered the Primera earlier and you did not recognize him? I thought that you memorized the photographs of those who were deemed to be 'Very Important Figures,'" Nemu whispered to her.

"Just drop it." She turned her attention back to Starrk who was taking a blanket out of a wooden chest. "I really should apologize for yelling at you like I did. But you really should watch where you fall asleep. At least your counterpart had the decency to fall asleep on a couch and not the floor."

"Oh, she sometimes falls asleep on the floor as well these days," Starrk chuckled. He turned around and smiled. "So, did you ride on the Lilynette Express Line?"

"Uh…yeah…we did. Wait…. DON'T TELL ME SHE FALLS ASLEEP WHILE OPERATING A TRAIN?" she shrieked as a horrific image of Lilynette falling asleep behind the controls during the journey here came into her mind. Tatsuki knew that she would be screaming as they hurtled towards the tunnel wall while Nemu would have been… being Nemu.

"I asked Kisuke to have it run automatically. So she isn't really operating the trains. Just don't tell her. She likes to think she's doing something to contribute."

"Well…at least you're responsible in that regard," Tatsuki huffed as she crossed her arms.

"Commander, you should really be careful how you address him," Nemu whispered.

"I highly doubt he'll get upset over a little disrespect. He seems to have had enough of being ass-kissed by everyone. Gods know I would."

"But…"

"Oh for Chappy's sake, would you please stop worrying? Can't you see that he's just…he's suffering. _His heart aches_," she emphasized. She knew that it sounded corny as hell but that might get through to the other woman where implication didn't.

"I do not understand." However, this time Nemu looked away. Tatsuki didn't notice. Instead she watched as Starrk put the blanket gently over Lilynette and kissed her helmet mask remnant.

"Stop tickling me," Lilynette giggled. "Mommy, Virgil won't stop tickling me." Starrk practically recoiled at the words and took a step back. However, she couldn't see his face from that angle.

When he turned Tatsuki could see that he was trying hard not to cry. His lower lip was trembling and he was struggling for breath. He put a hand over his face. Tatsuki walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. She could feel him trembling under her touch.

"I'm sorry, she…surprised me with that," he whispered as he stood up. "I…I make a rather shitty host."

"It's alright. Would you like to talk about it?"

Tatsuki knew that any information they could retrieve was vital, but that wasn't why she asked him. She had asked him because it was part of her nature to try to help those who were suffering. She knew that her Captain wouldn't approve, but she didn't care. The suffering she had seen her own friends had to endure only made her value empathy a bit more than she should have. Now she understood why one of the comments written in Starrk's file read "One of the more humane Arrancars encountered."

_And yet The Vanguard would have us view them all as monsters. But seeing him like this…. I can't see him as being a monster. Monsters don't let themselves feel as this man does._

"Anyways, I…I figured you might want to get going," Starrk whispered as he collected himself. He turned to Tatsuki and smiled. "I don't know what it's like where you're from, but…I would like to give you something as a way of saying 'Thank you' for…for giving me a few minutes of feeling normal."

He reached into his pocket and took out an old mass-market paperback copy of _Watership Down_. Tatsuki took the book and looked at it, confused.

"You may find it rather…informative," he whispered.

Tatsuki looked at Starrk. She nodded to show she understood. At least, she thought she understood.

_Well, I guess the King really did have an encounter with at least one of them._ She looked at the rabbit on the cover and smiled. _By Chappy…I think I know who he met._

"Thank you. I'm sure I will," she whispered. "My companion and I better head out and see if we can find our other companions. It was nice to finally meet you, Master Starrk."

"Please, it's just Starrk. I don't really care for the titles."

Tatsuki nodded and turned to Nemu. She was surprised that she was able to muster her own grin.

"Well, I suppose we should find the others before they do something stupid."

"I dare say that it may be a little late for that," Nemu said, not really sounding worried.

"I suppose it could be," Tatsuki replied and laughed. She allowed Nemu to leave the sitting area first and Tatsuki paused. She turned to look at Starrk. "Starrk…thank you."

Starrk smiled and nodded.

"Be safe out there. I hope…I hope that you view me as a friend, because I see you as a friend. I'm a good judge of character, but it's the follow-through that gets me."

Tatsuki only nodded in answer and walked out of the room. Starrk smiled and looked at one of the other couches. He figured that he had some time to get in another nap before Nelliel came to visit. He glanced at Lilynette who was turning in the grips of halcyon days. He was neither blessed nor cursed with dreams himself.

"A flight of angels sing thee to thy rest," he muttered as he lay down.

_**Outside of the Five Towers**_

Nemu looked at Tatsuki inquisitively, making her feel uncomfortable. It was apparent that Nemu was curious about what happened during her first encounter with Starrk.

"May I ask you something, Commander?"

"What is it, Nemu?" Tatsuki replied as politely as she could manage.

"I am rather curious about how your encounter with the Primera Espada occurred and whether or not he said anything of vital importance to the mission."

Tatsuki thought about it. She looked at the copy of _Watership Down_ in her hand. After a long pause of thinking about how to respond, she finally answered.

"To be honest, I just kind of stumbled over him." Nemu cocked her head slightly. "He was sleeping on the floor and I tripped over him. He didn't want to tell me his name and I was too agitated to think clearly. I kind of 'stuck my quills in him' as Captain Sui-Feng would say."

"You do realize that you should be careful with your temper Commander. We do not wish to anger any of the more violent surviving Arrancars. Starrk was an exceptional case in both power and temperament according to the reports. The other Espada were not the type to take insults gracefully."

"But that's the thing. Haven't you noticed how little there is about Harribel here? I mean, I thought that she and Starrk were like the King and Queen here. And then there's Grimmjow. I thought he was some kind of big figure here too, but there's no sign of him. Then there's the matter of the other surviving Arrancar VIPs like Findor Carias, Loly Aivirrne, Menoly Mallia, Tesla Lindocruz, Emilou Apacci, and Gantenbainne Mosqueda. We know that Nelliel Tu Odelschwank is still around and so we can assume that her…uh…followers are still around. But there are too many missing. What about them? Where are they in all of this?"

Nemu looked at her blankly.

"It is hard to say exactly what happened. Time has a way of changing things. If so much could change in the World of the Living then I suppose they could have greatly changed here as well. After all, Hollows are influenced by evolution."

"But what happened? I don't think Starrk will talk about it. Lilynette might, but then again she might not. And to be honest, if it's something painful for her to talk about, then I would rather avoid it."

"However, gathering intelligence is a part of our mission. The feelings of a Hostile should not interfere with that."

"Retrieving information gathered by the First Expedition is part of our mission. The only information that we're supposed to gather is on where we can find them. Or did your Captain give you other instructions that you failed to pass on?" Tatsuki asked a bit heatedly. She didn't add that it was disturbing that Nemu could call Lilynette "a Hostile" after seeing what they saw.

_Maybe she really is nothing more than a toy soldier like her "father" claimed,_ she thought.

Nemu didn't say anything. Instead she turned and walked towards the gate. Tatsuki shook her head and followed her.

_Something's not right. What happened here? No…that's the wrong question. What's happening here? That's the question that I should be asking, but…_

She stopped and looked at the book. She knew that Starrk either left some kind of message inside or the book itself was meant to be a message. Tatsuki knew that she must have said something to cause Starrk to give her this book in particular.

_Let's see. The book is about a group of rabbits searching for a new home,_ she recalled.

Then she smiled. The magic word was "rabbits" and she realized that she must have mentioned Chappy at some point. Like Rukia, Tatsuki had joined the First Church of Chappy the Rabbit because the chibi bunny was just too adorable to resist. And she had resisted before succumbing ant taking part in the initiation deep in the bowels of the Women's Society's more secret meeting room that could only be accessed via Yachiru's tunnels.

When she and Rukia had time off they would sometimes joke about how the world would be a better place if Chappy ran it. Other times they would joke about how the never-seen Spirit King was actually Chappy.

"Commander, what are you thinking about?"

Tatsuki brought herself out of the memories of joking around with Rukia about everybody's favorite chibi rabbit. She looked at Nemu and realized that she must have been smiling.

"I was just wondering if Hanataro or Ikkaku found anything important."

"I would say that we are about to find out, Commander."

"Why do you say that?"

Nemu pointed and Tatsuki could make out Ikkaku and Hanataro coming their way.

_**Soul Society**_

The sun was shining down as Sui-Feng walked in the Squad 3 Grounds with Captain Izuru Kira.

It wasn't every day that the notoriously melancholic Captain invited another Captain to visit him for a private meeting. And she had accepted purely out of curiosity of what he wanted.

As usual, she kept her lower face hidden. He had never questioned the habit. She knew that he was someone whom one did not get close to. However, she sometimes found herself thinking that he would benefit from having someone to at least be some kind of companion.

The pleasant surroundings only made his aura of gloom that much more palpable.

Ever since the deaths of Gin Ichimaru, Renji Abarai, and Momo Hinamori during the Winter War, Izuru had become more melancholic. Yet he also became more devoted to cleaning up his former superior's name. That devotion had allowed him to claim his late superior's mantle in fairly short order. Some had dared to hope that the white would make him more open having achieved such a rank.

Then his last truly close friend, Shuhei Hisagi, died. As a result, he became even more of a hermit. He now had very little interest in the Soul Society's politics. She knew where he stood. He was neither for The Vanguard nor for Captain-Commander Kuchiki or Captain Kurosaki's "dovish" faction. As far as he was concerned both factions were nothing but packs of fools.

"So, why did you invite me here?"

"Do I really need a reason?"

"It's not like you to do something on a whim, Captain Kira. It doesn't fit with your overall behavior pattern."

"I suppose it doesn't, Captain Sui-Feng."

"That means that you did have some kind of motive for inviting me. You may have served under the Traitor Gin Ichimaru, but you are nowhere near as crafty as he was."

"I know. I suppose I wanted to congratulate you on showing restraint and not sending any of the primary candidates on the second attempt at Operation Izanagi, which I hear is officially being called Operation Orpheus."

"Lieutenant Arisawa was my only primary candidate."

"That may be. But I'm sure she wasn't the primary candidate with the rest of The Vanguard leadership."

"I suppose she wasn't. But what does it matter to you? It's done."

Izuru sighed and shook his head.

"With fanatics, nothing is ever over until they have complete victory. But I didn't want to talk to you about that."

"Then why did you call me here? You know that I have very little patience with bantering."

Izuru didn't answer right away. Instead he looked at the trees that surrounded them and sighed.

"Lieutenant Arisawa would come to this grove quite often to relax and think. Of course, she never knew that Ichimaru planted those trees."

"Why didn't you tear them down?"

"I was going to, even after I heard about why he did what he did. Then I came out here and I saw how peaceful and beautiful it was. Then I realized that it shouldn't matter what the person who planted the trees did. What should matter is what kind of place they create, the fruit of their acts rather than what came before. Perhaps an act of treason is the greatest expression of love."

"That's dangerous talk, especially for a Captain. You shouldn't…"

"Let me finish. While an act of treason may be the greatest expression of love, one must also remember that treason is the greatest expression of hate as well. Every action we take has two edges: one light and the other dark." He looked at Sui-Feng. "That's the greatest lesson that Gin ever taught me. He may have betrayed the Soul Society for Rangiku's sake and to betray Aizen to keep him from doing more harm, but that doesn't change the fact that he hurt those who trusted and cared for him. At least Tosen's betrayal was from a misguided sense of justice."

"I still don't understand. Why are you telling me this?" Sui-Feng nearly demanded.

"It's because I want to know why you chose one of the only people you trust to go on such a dangerous mission. Particularly as it no doubt displeased your fellow fanatics. I want to make sure that you didn't turn a virtue into a vice as always happens when fanaticism enters the equation."

"You just answered it. It's because I trust her."

"And what if she dies?"

"I know she won't. She's a fighter and she knows her duty to her team and to the Gotei."

"And what might that be?"

"What does it matter to you? You're the most blatantly apolitical Captain in the Gotei."

"It's because I'm curious at how deep The Vanguard's influence runs in this venture."

"Are you asking me if I would put The Vanguard ahead of the Gotei?"

"I'm asking how influenced Lieutenant Arisawa would be by your prejudices."

This was what she hated most about Izuru. He was blunt. But then again, so was Tatsuki. But at least Tatsuki didn't sound so condescending. In fact, Sui-Feng felt that Tatsuki was rather cute when she did it.

"If she was influenced by my prejudices, do you think she would come here in her free-time? I resent that you would think that I would force all of my subordinates to follow my line of thinking like Rikichi does. The reason I chose Tatsuki is because I know she'll be honest in her report. I would have thought that you of all people would value integrity.

"So don't lump me in with Rikichi just because we're allies."

Izuru nodded.

"In that case, you made the right decision for the right reason. I just hope that she can control that temper of hers. The last time she was here she took out her frustration on one of the lemon trees. The poor thing still has the scars."

_**Las Noches**_

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

"Judea?" Tatsuki asked, calling Nemu by her assigned alias.

Before they left to come to Hueco Mundo, Captain Kurotsuchi insisted that Nemu be given an alias, chosen at random by a computer program, since she was the only one to have taken part in the invasion of Hueco Mundo who actually encountered Arrancars. Even though Hanataro was also part of that invasion, the only Arrancar he encountered during his time in Las Noches was Zommari Rureaux, and Zommari was dead.

_It probably would have been a good idea to assign an alias to Ikkaku. But then there's his bald head. What if that big guy he fought in the Winter War is still around? Oh well, he can just say that he modeled his look after a badass warrior and got his name from some Arrancar interested in the history of war or something like that._

They had used Sonído to get away from the Five Towers and were now walking through an area littered with ruins that indicated some kind of colony-within-a-city. They had been walking through the ruins for about ten minutes before Nemu came to a halt. The other three kept going forward a couple of steps before Tatsuki noticed that Nemu wasn't following. Tatsuki went to Nemu's side and glanced in the direction that Nemu was looking at.

"What is it?" Tatsuki asked, but already knew the answer.

"We are being followed."

"Tch…amateurs, though they are doing a good job covering up their Reiatsu," Ikkaku said and gave a slight chuckle.

Tatsuki took a few steps in the direction of a pile of ruins. She raised one hand and pointed in the direction of the ruins.

"Come on out," she ordered in her best commanding tone.

At first there was nothing and then she saw them.

A trio of small Arrancars stepped from the ruins of a pillar that they were hiding behind. Two more hopped onto the worn away wall that they had been hiding behind. Then, to her surprise, she saw the sand slightly to the right of ruins begin to move and two heads popped out like meerkats taking a peek outside of their burrow before heading out.

"Huh…that's surprising," Ikkaku whispered. "I felt that group," he gestured to the group among the ruins. "But I didn't feel that one," he gestured to the two Arrancar children, one raven haired and the other blue haired.

"That is probably because they were burrowing underground," Nemu whispered.

_Great, just what we need, _Tatsuki moaned,_ more Yachirus._

The raven haired burrower pulled herself out of the hole and stood on the sands while the blue haired girl remained with only her head and arms above the sands watching them. Tatsuki resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow as she surveyed the group.

They were all children and all quite easily placed now. The two on the wall had actually sat down allowing their legs to dangle. The boy who stood in the middle of the group by the statue stepped forward crossing his arms over his chest.

"I thought as much. You sniffed us out better than those lousy Privarons. You Night People are strong. I'm Lysander, leader of the Fangs," the boy said as he puffed his chest out with obvious self-importance.

Tatsuki eyed the red-haired boy skeptically. Aside from the boy being bigger than the others and his high levels of self-confidence, she wasn't getting that much Reiatsu levels from him. Ikkaku let out a tiny chuckle.

"Oh man, kid gangs, ah…this takes me back," Ikkaku whispered. Hanataro swallowed hard. Apparently it took him back as well.

"What do you kids want?" Tatsuki asked narrowing her eyes.

She knew how to deal with kids like these. Squad 2 would sometimes pay kids to snoop around the Rukongai for whispers about certain parties who were branded as "Malcontents" and "Terrorists" by many levels of authority. However none of those lists included the Zabimaru Squads or any of the other branches in The Vanguard. And some of those groups did far worse things than most of those who were put on the lists.

The red-haired boy faltered a little. However he quickly rallied himself with a confident smile.

"You aren't staying in Las Noches, right?" he asked.

"That is correct. We are leaving when we get adequate supplies," Nemu answered.

"I thought so, well the Fangs will be going with you," he declared as he tipped his chin up.

"What?" Tatsuki asked confused.

"We know we aren't as strong as you. But we won't get any stronger if we stay here. The adults don't do anything but stupid stuff. We want to go into The Night. We could be your servants to pay for learning. Then, when we're stronger, we can come back and carve out a niche," Lysander explained making it sound like some kind of great thought instead of a poor attempt at bargaining.

"Screw coming back. When I get strong I'll be a king out there," an orange-haired boy said.

"I'll be a Privaron, or whatever they call it," the raven haired girl chirped in.

They all spoke up with some idea, or rather absurdity, of what they would do when they became stronger. Tatsuki watched them, at first with surprise and then she scowled with impatience. Ikkaku looked amused, obviously remembering his own boasts he made when he was younger. Hanataro looked a little worried, which Tatsuki could empathize with. Nemu…was Nemu.

As she listened, Tatsuki thought of something that Sui-Feng told her when she first started training under her:

"_The dreams of youth can lead to either paths of greatness or destruction."_

"No," Tatsuki said, breaking through their boasting and arguing.

The children fell silent. She watched them look at her in shock. It was clear that their fantasies had not included this as a factor. She noted that the blue haired girl, who looked a bit familiar, looked relieved. The girl sank a bit farther into the sand when she noticed Tatsuki looking at her.

"What? But why?" Lysander whined as his image of following the strangers burst.

"First, we don't need servants or students. You would only be a liability. Second, you're nothing more than a bunch of immature kids who want to jump so far out of your depth that it's not even funny," Tatsuki replied, her voice cold as ice. She knew that if she could see her, Sui-Feng would be proud of her adopted daughter.

"I'd laugh," Ikkaku added.

Lysander's face reddened. Tatsuki could tell that he was the type who was used to getting his way.

"BEING YOUNG DOESN'T MAKE US WEAK!" he shouted. He drew a short curved sword. Tatsuki assumed that the size of an Arrancar's Zanpakuto was relative to development since all of the blades coming out were shorter than normal.

"You're right," Tatsuki answered.

There was no sound of static. She was just in the red-headed boy's face ramming her knee into his stomach. She was on the next one before his knees hit the ground.

They all fell in a blur. She looked for the blue-haired girl and then noticed a rippling movement in the sand heading away from them. Tatsuki rushed to a spot just ahead of the moving ripple and rammed a pointed hand into the sand and grabbed the blue-haired girl by one of her shoulders as she tried to escape by burrowing in the sand. With a heave, she pulled her up. The girl hung, feet off the ground. She tried to cover her head with her free arm. Her sword was still sheathed at her rope belt. She turned her attention back to the gasping red haired boy who looked at her with tears in his eyes.

"Being young doesn't make you weak. Being weak makes you weak. I didn't need to do anything special just now. It was all skill. This girl was smart enough to run, and even that didn't work. What do you think you can do out there? If you venture out there, you won't last very long."

She had no idea if that was true or not. However, she felt that lying for the sake of saving their lives was better than letting them go on their merry way into gods knew what. She turned her focus back to the girl.

"What's your name?"

"Gracia," the girl whispered.

Tatsuki looked at the jaw bone fragment on her face. It tickled something in the back of her memory. But she decided that it was not important. Instead she let the girl go. Her focus went back to Lysander who was getting to his feet. He was still red-faced with rage, but fear was now mixed in.

_Good. Fear is a good thing when it saves your life._

"Stay here kid. If you want to get stronger find a teacher before you do something stupid. Even though you tried to stand together as comrades, the likes of us were still too much for you to handle."

Tatsuki looked at her companions.

"Let's go," she ordered.

With a burst of Sonído, she vanished. Ikkaku and Nemu followed suit almost immediately. Hanataro hesitated a moment but decided that there was no need for him here and so vanished as well.

_**Gracia**_

Gracia let out a sigh of relief as the adults left. Adults were scary enough but she had a bad feeling about those four from the start.

_If that's what the other tribes are like…_

She shivered at the thought.

She looked at the red-haired chief who was still staring off into space. She dashed to where he stood.

"Lysander? Are you alright?"

She reached out to his stomach wondering if the woman had really hurt him. A back-handed blow to her chest sent her a step back. He straightened. He glared at her, tears streaked down his cheek, but he didn't notice. His gaze swept over the rest of the Fangs. He spun on his heels and stalked back towards the ruins.

_That look…his Pride's been hurt,_ she realized.

Her feeling of dread increased when she saw similar feelings in the others as they pulled themselves together. The Fangs were the toughest gang among the Neglected. They had proved that by playing where no one else dared play: the ruins of the old Octavian compound. They took pride in that. It was bad enough that they were dismissed and humiliated by the adults, but these barbarians…

_And they were so strong. We all saw how strong they were. But it'll only make him and the others more determined to go into The Night…to become stronger._

She thought of what Lysander told them when he told them of his decision to go into The Night. The words echoed in her mind and sent a chill up her spine:

_"Our Pride demands satisfaction. And only by becoming even stronger can we become truly satisfied."_

"We're going, aren't we?" she whispered to no one as the others walked past her.

She was afraid that she already knew the answer.

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

"So then I ran into Ikkaku and he brought me along and we ran into you," Hanataro reported as Tatsuki scribbled his account in Squad 2 short-hand in the notebook she brought with her.

After coming out of Sonído to get away from that gang of kids, Tatsuki felt it was time to find out what Ikkaku and Hanataro had been up to. She wanted to get Hanataro's account out of the way first so that way he could relax. However, her gaze sometimes went to the splotches of blood on Hanataro's jacket. Unlike Ikkaku, she hadn't panicked. She had a good idea that it was from a nose bleed and nose bleeds could be caused just from being in a dry environment.

Of course it didn't help that Ikkaku kept cutting in at some points and mentioned his experience with some guy named Rodolfo Mosqueda. He only stopped when she kept glaring at him.

"Is that it?"

"Yes, Commander," Hanataro whispered.

She nodded to him and then looked at what she had written. She frowned at the information.

_So, the Arrancars can apparently maintain massive functional greenhouses. But then why is much of the city in such a ruined state? Maybe it's just their sense of maintaining a place's aesthetic value gone down-hill._

She flipped to the part on the underground warehouse. That troubled her. She already knew that Urahara was trading with the Arrancars under the table. But the smuggling ring had a more criminal element to it than just soda and beer and cigarettes and trains. It seemed that Kisuke was being used by a renegade faction in Las Noches and may not even know it.

From what she could make out, it seemed that there were at least three factions. There was the renegade, possibly criminal group, led by this Capo fellow. Then there was this Privaron group that Hanataro said he heard mentioned. Judging from Ikkaku's reaction, she guessed that he probably had a run-in with a member. Then there was the third faction, most likely led by Nelliel judging from Hanataro's report, but she didn't know just what to make of that.

_Perhaps Nelliel's become a power unto herself,_ Tatsuki thought.

She frowned. Her few meetings with the lovely Espada-turned-Ambassador showed a pleasant personality. And the role she played in the Winter War put her in the woman's debt in a fashion. But Rukia was her friend, and she suspected that Ichigo had been weak when it came to Nel.

The thing that was even more telling was that Starrk seemed aloof from all of this despite being royalty.

Then she noticed something. She went from scowling to being thoughtful. She looked to Hanataro who was showing a curious, but still reserved, Nemu the medicines he had acquired.

"You said that plants can grow outside of the greenhouses. Is that right?" Tatsuki asked.

Hanataro turned his head to look at her. A look of surprised guilt flashed in his eyes before he cast them down.

_He's hiding something,_ she thought.

"Uh…yes. Adrianna showed me some vines and some moss by her living area. Apparently the moss…flower," he said.

He lowered his head when he realized that he had been caught in a lie. Tatsuki looked at her notes. The first time around, Hanataro had said that he left the girl after they left the second greenhouse. Her scowl deepened. She had gained a disdain of being lied to after her best friends gave her the runaround over a century before.

"What are they called?" Nemu asked, thus breaking the tense silence. However, she had most likely been oblivious to the mood.

"Well, the moss is called 'Lover's Confession' and the vines are called 'Inoue's Tears,'" he answered, cringing. "They also have a flower used to make healing lotions that they call 'Orihime's Touch.'"

Tatsuki nearly dropped her pen and notebook. She knew that she shouldn't be surprised that the Arrancars remembered her best friend. But she hadn't expected anything like that.

_She would probably be flattered to have a flower named after her._

However, she came out of the thought. She looked at Hanataro who was trembling.

"And then you left?"

"Uh…no. She invited me down into the basement. It was in a ruin you see, but the lower level was still intact. The stairs and hall were covered in that moss I mentioned. But her living area was clean, but very green and uh…uh…uh…"

"And?" Tatsuki demanded.

Her interrogator instinct was screaming that she was getting to the heart of the matter. Hanataro swallowed and shut his eyes. What he screamed was the last thing she expected.

"SHE-STRIPPED-I-SAW-EVERYTHING-TRIED-TO-SLEEP-WITH-ME-SAYING-SHE-WANTED-A-NICE-FIRST!"

He grabbed his head as though expecting a beating.

_**Soul Society**_

"Retsu, are you alright?" Komamura asked.

He looked back along the road to where the female Captain had stopped. She was blushing. It was a light blush, more pink than red. But it stood out on her fair complexion.

"I'm not sure why, but I feel I should be embarrassed for someone."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not really sure," Unohana replied as she put a hand to her cheek.

_**Las Noches**_

"Huh?" Tatsuki asked.

Her mind was working hard to make out what Hanataro had just said. But it didn't make any sense.

"I RAN AWAY!" Hanataro shouted and then began to whimper. "Please don't tell Captain Unohana."

"What? Huh? Who? Uh…" Tatsuki continued, still trying to make sense of what she had heard.

"Wait a minute," Ikkaku broke in radiating a dangerous aura. Hanataro yelped and fell onto the sand. "Let me get this straight. You got invited to a girl's place. And by your stupid description she was a hot girl. She strips naked and basically tells you to essentially 'take the milk for free.' And you…you…YOU RAN AWAY?"

"Y-y-y-yes," Hanataro stammered as he inched his way closer to the one team member yet to get angry at him, or show any kind of emotion at all.

Ikkaku sighed and slapped his palm to his face.

"Tell me, Hanataro. Don't you have a dick or are you just a pansy?"

"I…I…I…" Hanataro stammered as he blushed horribly. He just wanted to melt away.

"Perhaps you want to die a virgin?" Ikkaku growled.

"I…I…I…I…uh…uh…"

"Never mind," Tatsuki groaned. "Hanataro, you don't have to answer idiotic questions that have no real importance. Ikkaku, since you decided to speak up…"

"Oh come on, Commander. Something like that is what just about every red-blooded man wants to have happen. AND IT HAPPENED TO HANATARO OF ALL PEOPLE! AND HE COMMITTED THE SIN OF REFUSING THE OFFER! IT'S UNACCEPTABLE! Either he's a fairy princess, has no balls, wants to die a virgin, or he's an idiot."

"Perhaps he did not understand the situation and merely got scared," Nemu suggested.

"Like I said, maybe he has no balls," Ikkaku growled.

_Damn it, it should have been me,_ he thought mutinously.

"WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP HARPING ON THAT TOPIC ALREADY? Honestly, it doesn't matter." Ikkaku looked at Tatsuki as though she had gone insane. "It has nothing to do with why we're here, Ikkaku. Anyways, what do you have to report, aside from your encounter with that Mosqueda guy?

"While Hanataro's report on the…girl was rather…yeah…he did bring back some useful information. We can use the greenhouses to get supplies. And this info on the situation here will be of great interest to the Captain-Commander. So, how about you? Did you find something useful?"

"I did," Ikkaku said and brought out the charm. "This medallion is evidence that at least one of the Squad 11 members was here in Las Noches."

Tatsuki took the medallion and looked at it. On one side was a skull and on the other was the Yarrow of Squad 11.

"Where did you get this?"

"Well…"

"Never mind, something tells me that I may not want to know," Tatsuki sighed. The last thing she wanted was to have a repeat of what Hanataro experienced.

"Thanks," Ikkaku said, not letting his relief show. The last thing he wanted was to admit that he could play the violin. It would ruin his image if word about that got out.

"Did the…Arrancar who gave you this…uh…did they say where they got it?" Hanataro asked.

Ikkaku and Tatsuki were rather surprised that he actually mustered enough courage to ask a question.

"Well…yeah," Ikkaku replied, shaking off his surprise. "She said that she found an Arrancar who was badly hurt either last year or the year before. She healed him and gave this to her as a gift of gratitude. Although I'm surprised about that since Squad 11 normally doesn't give gifts to anyone who heals them. He must have been really grateful. However, I know the man who wore this charm and it would be something that he would do. I hope that nothing happened to him. Yachiru would be devastated not to be able to mess with Maki-Maki.

"Hell, she might even enter the battle just to avenge one of her greatest candy providers."

Tatsuki smiled at the thought of a wrathful Yachiru deployed into battle. The last time she had seen the Pink Menace truly lose it was when her favorite candy was discontinued.

Oh the Horror!

Ikkaku seemed less amused by the prospect and shot Tatsuki a chastising look. Tatsuki ignored it. She reached into her pack and dug out the copy of _Watership Down_ that Starrk gave her. She was pretty sure just from its thickness that it wasn't a children's book, but together with those kids it made her think of her own childhood.

"I never thought that this would be my future," she whispered.

She traced the rabbit pictured on the cover. She looked at the ruins around them and the vast emptiness.

_This place has seen better days,_ she thought. _And now it's bringing out some of my own melancholy. That's another reason for us to get moving._

She opened the book. There was nothing scribbled on the first few pages as she had thought. So she flipped through the book until she saw a scrap of paper inserted towards the end. She pulled it out as Ikkaku laughed at something that Nemu said. Judging from how Hanataro's face was becoming even redder, she supposed it had something to do with him. However, that was not important.

She opened the scrap of paper. The first thing that caught her eye was the roughly drawn map showing two circles, one labeled "Las Noches" and the other "Octavia" with an arrow pointing from one to the other and the letters "NE" written over the arrow. Then she saw the message that was written over it:

_The woman with the white streak was heading for Octavia._

_-C.S._

_P.S. I warned her and so I'll warn you: Don't trust the Octavians. They are not friends._

_**Nelliel Tu Odelschwank**_

Nel noticed that the gates leading to the King's Plaza were unlocked again. And they were standing ajar.

"Tch…absolutely careless," she muttered under her breath. It wasn't like the gates could stop anyone but the Neglected, but it was the principal of the thing.

She put her key away and opened the gate wider. She turned to Bawabawa who was looking at her, rearing over the stone porch.

"Stay there. I'll be back."

"Bawa?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. Now get some rest. I might decide to stay for a bit longer."

"Bawabawa."

She watched as the giant worm submerged into the sand. A chill ran up her spine when she saw that he was becoming slower and more sluggish when it came to burrowing.

_I'll have to up his dose the next time I give him his medicine,_ she thought shakily.

She walked through the gateway and closed the gate behind her. She hesitated a little before locking the gate and used Sonído to the top of the steps that led into the Royal Palace that had been built around the Five Towers. She walked through her garden to get to the next flight of stairs that led to the interior of the Palace. She noticed that some of the flowers looked as if they could use some watering.

_I'll do that before I leave,_ she thought. _But right now I have other priorities._

She walked up the steps and walked through the archway that led inside. She looked around, but didn't see either Starrk or Lilynette there to greet her as they did.

"He's probably sleeping again," she muttered.

Nel closed her eyes and used her Pesquisa to locate him. She was surprised at how close he was. Moments later she found that he and Lilynette were in the sitting area, sleeping.

_At least he's not hiding out in that room again._

She walked to the sitting area and looked inside. Lilynette was lying in one of the couches while Starrk was sitting up with one hand on Lilynette's head. Nel shook her head and approached them. She stood over them and glared at Starrk. She wanted to yell at him, but she didn't want to disturb Lilynette. She didn't want to be the one to ruin her dreams of happier times.

_Although it depends on the Arrancar's view of whether or not those days were truly happier. Damn, when did I become the jaded one? If I'm becoming the gloomy one, then Schiffer's probably laughing wherever Arrancars go after they die._

"I was hoping you wouldn't be here for another five minutes," Starrk muttered.

She looked at him and saw that his eyes were slightly opened, looking at her.

"Or perhaps you would have preferred me to be late by a few hours?" she whispered back.

"Perhaps," Starrk whispered as he stood up. "Thanks for not disturbing her, Nelliel."

"I don't want her to hate me. But Starrk, we really need to talk."

"Alright, I know I can't put you off longer. It's best if we talk where we won't disturb her."

Nel nodded and followed Starrk out of the room. When they reached the greeting area, Starrk turned to her.

"Starrk, I…"

"I know. You went to see Urahara about some things that are going on and you wanted to find out if he knew what to do. Now you're reporting to me as if you were still nothing more than a messenger."

Nel looked at him in surprise.

"How did you…?"

"I guessed."

"Liar," she frowned, but her voice had a trace of amusement in it.

"Well, I really don't want to give away who my sources are," he said and met her eyes.

"Lilynette," Nel guessed. "She followed me again, didn't she?"

Starrk only shrugged and Nel sighed.

"I suppose I should have realized. However, I only went in order to find a way of allowing us to become stronger. We don't know what the other Tribes are up to anymore and we've lost another twelve Arrancars to the Night's Song since I last came here. And we lost another fifteen to the Sleeping Death."

"Does it really matter?" Starrk asked as he strode to one of the paintings hanging against the wall.

"OF COURSE IT MATTERS! Don't you understand that the weaker we become, the stronger they become? Don't forget that you have enemies who would like for nothing more than to destroy you and your people," she seethed.

Starrk only sighed. Nel had to resist the urge to fire a Bala at him.

"Sometimes I wonder if that wouldn't be the best course," he muttered. Her jaw dropped and then she couldn't stand it anymore. She snarled as she walked towards him and slapped him across the face. Starrk didn't react.

"You…YOU'RE AN IDIOT! Do you really want to see your people under the yoke of Poww or Tesla or…or that maniacal bastard? You need to do something! The Breeders are breeding less-and-less and their broods are becoming weaker. There are fewer Primerans willing to adopt and most of the children are forced to form their own smaller clans just to survive!" she raged.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to lead. I want you to return to the way you were when you first began your reign. It's what you have to do as King. You need to return to the way you were before the Great Schism and before…"

"Enough," Starrk growled. "What would you have me do, Nelliel Tu Odelschwank? Don't you understand that there's no going back to those days because…because she's not by my side anymore."

"Then find someone to take her place. Find a new Queen."

"What good would that do? Even if I were to try, who would I chose?"

Silence fell between them.

"You have me," Nel whispered. She put a hand on his back and felt him stiffen and his Reiatsu fluxed slightly.

"I stood by your side as your friend. Let me stand by your side as your mate. If that's what it will take to keep Las Noches strong, then I'll be willing to do it."

Starrk looked at her and shook his head.

"Have you given up on your Visored then?"

Nel hid her flinch. She could not give him a reason to refuse with so much at stake.

"He's marrying his Soul Reaper girl," she replied. "I ran into him recently and he told me."

"I'm…sorry. That was tactless of me."

"It was honest. And no, it isn't settling for something less. It's letting go and taking responsibility. Let me help you. Let me help our people. Starrk, please…" she pleaded as she leaned closer to him.

"We both know it won't do any good," he whispered. He returned his gaze to the painting, which was the last of Thomas Cole's _The Course of Empire _series: _Desolation_. "And History, with all her volumes vast, Hath but one page," he quoted.

"Fear not the future, weep not for the past," Nel quoted in response. "Starrk, you know that you can't just let your dream die. Don't you remember the dream that you and Harribel had back then? Let me take her place in making that dream a reality. Let me in. If not for you own sake…"

He stepped away forcing her to stand properly again. He turned to face her. Their eyes locked. Nel's heart sank as Starrk sighed.

"I'm tired," he whispered. "Please, just let me sleep."

He turned and watched him go. Nel felt rage build in her, but the burning rage gave way to a flood of grief. She looked at the painting Starrk had been looking at. She focused on the distant painted moon and then on the sole pillar standing amongst the empty ruins.

_That's him,_ she thought sadly and yet morosely. _He still stands and yet he's given up hope. He's not a survivor but a relic. Damn you, Starrk. You are an Arrancar. You're not some helpless pillar. You can do something, damn it._

She looked in the direction that Starrk had disappeared. She had no doubt that he was going back to grieve in solitude. Nel knew what he was going through. She had suffered it herself, but unlike Starrk, she had moved on. She had chosen to live instead of dying piece-by-piece.

She hated Starrk and yet she loved him.

She wished that she could save him. But how could one save someone who felt they didn't deserve to be saved?

**End of Chapter 4**

**A.N.: We did say that there would be harsh things in this story. All future chapters that contain scenes of extremely graphic violence and/or sexuality will contain a warning at the head of each chapter. That way you'll be forewarned.**

**I suppose that one could equate the Sons of the Mantis with the Nazis or the Taliban, but in reality all society has the potential to be like them, especially in their treatment of those whom they deem to be "Outsiders" or "Inferior." Such a dark society comes about when those in power use prejudice and anger to twist the minds and souls of the young to the point that blind faith is a virtue and fanatical cruelty is a demonstration of loyalty. Blind faith is never a virtue. I suppose that the Sons could be seen as a combination of Boxer the Horse in **_**Animal Farm**_** saying "Napoleon is always right" and all of those who committed acts of cruelty against humanity and say "I was only following orders" as well as those who use abuse, of any kind, to maintain a sense of control over others.**

**Unfortunately, there is little hope for the Sons of the Mantis to stop their horrid treatment of women (whom they refer to as "Nels" thus turning Nelliel's name into an insult). The Rite of Will is a tradition bred from insanity and bitterness and a lust for control that was allowed to thrive and thus take root like the weed of Blind Obedience that chokes out the voice of Sane Conscience.**

**After that grim look at a society where cruelty is the norm, we switched gears to the Primerans in Las Noches.**

**The portrayal of the Primerans was inspired by a combination of the Eloi in **_**The Time Machine**_** and Rome during its decline. The images that I had in mind while writing the landscape of Las Noches were the paintings from 18****th**** and 19****th**** centuries of the ruins of Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. They are a society that is long past its prime and are on the decline. As a result, Thomas Cole's series **_**The Course of Empire **_**is very appropriate for them, especially the last painting: **_**Desolation**_**.**

**This chapter has quite a few literary references in it. Tatsuki thinks about Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Ozymandias" as she looks out over some of the ruins in Las Noches. There's a reference to **_**1984**_** by George Orwell (Victory Smokes as opposed to Victory Cigarettes, but they still kind of crumble in one's hand) and **_**The Time Machine**_** by H.G. Wells. At the end, Starrk's quote is from Canto 4 of **_**Childe Harold's Pilgrimage**_** by Lord Byron and Nel quotes Canto 9 of Shelley's poem **_**The Revolt of Islam**_**.**

**Eduard and I will be taking a little break from this story until after the holidays.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	6. Chapter 5: Metropolis

**Author's Warning:** This chapter contains strong sexuality

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 5: Metropolis**

Octavian Director Dorian Narciss walked through the empty courtyard with measured grace. His smooth feminine face maintained the aura of calm and arrogance that was expected of an Alpha, regardless of the situation.

An Alpha had to be an Alpha at all times. That was a rule.

However, beneath that calm surface, he was annoyed. He could be using this time experimenting on the latest broods as they developed in their tanks or checking on the caged Epsilons and un-Arrancars in the Kennels before they were put out in the Auction for the barbarians who came here for business, or those that were earmarked for the special clients.

Instead, he had been summoned for a private meeting with Maestro Pytr Todesengel, the last of Creator's fraccion and the only one who was made in the Creator's image. And one could not simply ignore the Maestro's summons. Many of Dorian's predecessors learned that lesson the hard way and he was not willing to repeat their errors. The last thing he wanted was to be strapped to the Maestro's private lab table. It was a rather ironic and yet rather common end for Alphas that proved to be deficient.

And he did not intend to become deficient.

So he made his way through the deserted outer court with its various sculptures that combined harsh angles with smooth curves into a symphony attempting to illustrate the goal of Perfection. However, unlike many of the other sculptures in Hueco Mundo, these were not made of stone. These were made of metal.

Dorian stopped when he came across his favorite sculpture showing four figures of gold, silver, iron, and bronze engaged in some kind of dance with the gold figure seeming to be suspended in midair. The symbols for each of the four classes of the Octavians, the True Arrancars, were emblazoned on the harshly-angled face of each: Alpha on gold, Beta on silver, Gamma on iron, and Delta on bronze. The motto emblazoned on the pedestal read, "ALL PURPOSE IS GENETIC."

The sight of this blend of mathematical principals and artistic license put him at ease. This was what the Octavians were trying to achieve in their genetic manipulations of the broods growing inside the Flesh-Tanks. He had seen pictures of fashion models in the World of the Living and he was grateful not to have to endure the inferior beauty of the humans. Even the lowly Delta workers and the engineered Epsilons were more beautiful than those inferior and filthy creatures.

He closed his eyes and hummed in order to clear his mind, thus restoring order from the chaos of unregulated emotion. He had to be wary and quick with his responses in this meeting. His predecessors had made the mistake of going before the Maestro without a clear head and were thus deemed to be defective. Dorian vowed never to become a defective Director.

When his mind was more adequately prepared he made his way to the doors made of metal and glass that were not products brought in from the outside but were the fruit of the Delta class's labors. Out of all of the cities that had risen up in Hueco Mundo, only Octavia had structures made of metal and glass instead of just stone.

He touched the cold metal and smiled fondly at its feel.

_Stone is for the inadequate species, but metal…. Metal is the choice-material of the Master Races._

He walked past the two Gammas stationed at the entrances as sentries. The militant Gammas stood at attention. When they saw him approaching, they put their right hands over the ornate 8 on the left breast of their leather black-and-green coats and then held them out in the Roman salute. Dorian admired how their iron gorgets gleamed coldly in the moonlight and how their handsome, angular faces remained expressionless. Dorian returned the salute by raising his right hand, palm out. When he passed, the two guards returned to their original postures of parade-rest with a mechanical motion.

He made his way to the glass-encased elevator situated against the far side of the foyer. His eyes briefly glanced at the metal door off to one side with the words "COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY" on it. He brought his attention forward, ignoring the Betas rushing around to fetch equipment or paperwork for their Alphas.

He got into the elevator and took out the platinum key that he wore around his neck and inserted it into the keyhole and turned it. There was a grinding sound as the mechanisms that ran off the electricity that the generators far beneath the surface produced began to serve their function. He was in awe at the powerful and complex systems at work to enable this seemingly simple act on his behalf. The elevator began its ascent.

He turned to face outside and felt like a god surveying his domain. He looked down at the glowing lights of Octavia. It was not only the newest city in Hueco Mundo. It was also the most advanced.

_And the most mathematically perfect,_ he thought smugly. _Is there any shape more perfect than a circle? I think not._

He smiled as he watched the three rings that surrounded the center of Octavia come into view. Each one was separated by a wide circular trench with only gated bridges connecting them together. Smoke and tongues of fire rose up from the outer-most ring where the Deltas manned the forges and factories that were mostly located near the base of a group of rocky hills and mountains.

He looked at these things with pride. Many Alphas resented the crudeness of the Delta sector. But he did not. He possessed the vision and intellect to treasure all aspects of the Great Machine that was Civilization. He felt pride knowing that each class was in its proper place and segregated, not by race or creed, but by function as determined by genetic manipulation.

"All purpose is genetic," he whispered and smiled at his own ghostly reflection. "And genetic manipulation is the pathway to Perfection."

The elevator stopped and he turned to walk out into the lobby of the upper levels. He saw the slim Alpha assistant to the Maestro standing before him, the only other presence on this level unlike the bustle below. It was difficult to tell what their sex was since all Alphas were, by design, androgynous since the Maestro maintained that as the Creator had no real gender, then Perfection could only be achieved by those with no true gender of their own.

"Director Narciss," the assistant said in its silky voice. "The Maestro has instructed me to allow you in once you have arrived."

"Thank you. It is an honor to be summoned by the Maestro."

The assistant nodded and gestured for him to follow. Dorian followed and observed how the assistant's movements were almost like a dancer's. He like that kind of motion since it made him think of the ocean waves he had seen on a trip to the World of the Living to meet with some of the very important clients to discuss products and their price. There were so many nuanced wonders in that world. How disgraceful it would be if the knowledge that the Octavians had achieved was handed to Humans of all of the foolish and ugly apes of existence. The very thought made him sick.

But now was not the time to allow anger or any such deficient emotion to take hold. Now was the time to be flawless.

The assistant gently knocked at the door of gilded glass. Dorian used the mirrored surface to make any necessary adjustments to his hair or his white-and-gold jacket. He made sure that the Plexiglas false collar was on straight and that the gold clasp, shaped like a Gothic-style 8 that held it in place, was fastened properly.

"Most Illuminated Maestro, Director Narciss has arrived.

The assistant nodded at something and opened the door for him. Narciss guessed the Maestro was still implanting one-way communication devices in his secretaries' skulls.

"You may enter. May the Creator smile on your meeting."

Dorian nodded as he entered the room. The floors were, naturally, covered with sheets of polished metal. He didn't look up at the gold-etched mirror panels that were used for the ceiling. Aside from the wood-paneled wall with the door, the rest of the room was made of clear glass giving a god-like view of Octavia and the surrounding desert beyond the encircling wall of black steel. In the far distance, he could barely make out the tops of the five towers of Las Noches. He looked at the eight metal statues that were laid out in a circle around the room and at the cherry-wood desk in the center of the room. Then his focus turned towards the lean figure standing at the window, looking out at Las Noches.

"My Maestro," Dorian said and gave a bow.

"Have a seat, Director," the Maestro said with a gesture of a hand with the upper part of the fingers dyed a soft shade of purple while the nails were painted a soft pink. His voice was smooth like silk, but there was a hint of mockery in it.

Dorian made his way to one of the cushioned chairs just in front of the desk and sat down without reclining.

"How may I serve the most Illuminated Maestro?"

The Maestro turned to look at him. Dorian was always entranced at how handsome the Maestro was with his lips painted a lush red like ripe berries and the barest hint of makeup on his thin, pale face and around his brightly golden eyes behind the mask fragment that looked like a pair of oval-rimmed glasses. The Maestro's hair was neatly styled with the sides dyed a dark shade of pink while the rest was dyed a dark indigo.

He was wearing his usual black leather coat with gold, crimson, and white embroidery running along the collar and down the sides. The coat's collar was held up by a Plexiglas false collar that was held by a gold clasp studded with amethysts. The silver clasps fastening the coat down the front shone under the fluorescent lights.

"You may serve me by explaining yourself."

"I…do not understand."

The Maestro walked to the desk and put a file that he had been holding down in front of the Director before sitting down in the large chair on the other side of the desk. Dorian looked at the inventory list and looked at the Maestro's golden eyes neutrally. He knew that weakness meant death, and so did defiance. It was time for him to balance on the sword's edge.

"Please, explain why you have decreased the number of Inferiors and Epsilons sent to our most important client." The Maestro tapped the name at the top to emphasize to whom he was referring to. Dorian found the gesture to be unnecessary and slightly insulting since he knew whom the Maestro was referring.

"I merely thought that it would be in our best interest to use the Inferiors and Epsilons more to our own uses, since our most important client has not been paying us by their own volition. If I recall, inventories from previous Directors will show that to be the case and yet they sent the same number of stock to them as before."

The Maestro frowned slightly at that and his golden eyes flashed. Dorian maintained his calm. He was an Alpha after all.

"I see," the Maestro whispered. "So, they really have been withholding from us." He smiled slightly. "I trust that our other important clients have been paying their dues for their merchandise."

"That is what the inventory says. It's just the most important one who hasn't. The others have been paying us the agreed prices for their Epsilons and Inferiors to be used either for sport or as workers.

"Godking Benvolio of Luisenbarn has put in an order for another six Worker Epsilons as well as three more Sex Epsilons and two Un-Arrancars to be used as sport. He has paid us with subjects we can either use for experimentations or for the Auction as well as two new Flesh-Tanks, both already filled with spawn. We can use the spawn in any way we like and, as the saying goes, 'One can never have too many Tanks.' What's more is that the Tanks are Panteran, difficult to acquire by all accounts."

The Maestro frowned and began to tap his fingers on the wooden surface. Impatience colored his features.

"I do not care what Godking Benvolio has given us or where he got them from. I only care about the one client in particular. Why hasn't he paid the agreed price for the last two shipments we delivered?"

"He maintains that he is currently in the process of obtaining more of the agreed payment, but in the meantime he has given us other goods as a sign of faith. We have already learned much from some of the products he sent us," Dorian explained and indicated the addendum made to the inventories.

"He's making us look like fools. He's going back on his word to us."

Dorian looked at the Maestro.

"What does it matter? If he continues to cheat us then all we have to do is cheat him. Perhaps we can arrange something with that smuggler in Las Noches and…"

"NO! I will not have anyone from Las Noches become involved in our affairs," the Maestro broke in. Dorian looked at the Maestro and saw the briefest flicker of discomfort in his golden eyes.

"Well, she doesn't have to know that you're still alive. I'm sure we can work it out to where she continues to believe that you're dead. But then, maybe it won't matter."

"If the Fates were kind she would be dead. But I know that she isn't and that she's still holding on to her mindless vendetta. It just goes to show that the inferior races will always despise the superior races."

_If you are superior then why do you fear her wrath so? What aren't you telling me, Maestro? How weak are you beneath it all?_

"Either way, we can still perform business with the Smuggler. He has no love for Tu Odelschwank; only for his profits. We can use that to our advantage. I'm sure that none of those in authority would trouble themselves over a few missing Primerans. I understand that they have a number of strays running around," Dorian said in an attempt to steer the conversation back on course.

"That self-righteous strumpet would trouble herself. That's what happened just before the Final Exodus. She found out about our own operations and she over-reacted. She never understood that I only acted for the greater good of all True Arrancars, for Las Noches, for her 'beloved King.' We were Loyalists, Narciss. We stood by the Kingdom in its darkest hour and yet we were condemned as criminals. It only proves that envy poisons relationships between the Master Races and the Inferior Races. Only the Creator can bring about the Golden Age of the True Arrancars."

_There he goes again, _Dorian thought slightly annoyed.

"I understand. But surely there are other ways to bring about the Golden Age of the Masters without having to revive the Creator."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm merely thinking that perhaps we can achieve the Golden Age without needing the Creator's help. Isn't the Octavian main objective Perfection? How can we achieve Perfection if we must rely on the Creator?

Pytr Todesengel sat back in thought and then smiled. That smile made Dorian nervous and he realized that he had just set foot in a forming sinkhole that would bury him if it gave way. However, he maintained his air of calm.

"The Creator is the Light of Perfection. We need him to show us the way. We can walk the Path on our own. But without him we are little more than children stumbling in the dark. Do you see?"

_I see that we must truly be a pack of fools. We pride ourselves in our great leaps forward in science and the art of Genetic Manipulation. So why do we allow ourselves to be ruled by a worthless relic from the past? And how could you put such faith in a worthless Arrancar that allowed himself to be defeated by a Soul Reaper? No matter how hard you try to deny it, that's all that the Creator is: a worthless, vanquished, Arrancar from the past. But I must sing my little song like a good little bird, _Dorian thought bitterly.

"I understand. Thank you for bringing understanding to this unworthy one, Maestro."

Pytr smiled as he looked at the list.

_A fool easily quelled by the words he wants to hear._

"It is good to bring Illumination to the ignorant and to remind those in the Light of Perfection of our True Goals. And it's also a good thing for you that I'm in a good mood. Otherwise, I would have used you for my private research."

"I am grateful for your mercy," Dorian said giving a slight bow of his head.

"The next time you see our most esteemed client, you will inform him that he must have the payment that was agreed in the original contract or we will cut our payment to him in the same proportion. If he wants to gain more of the Inferiors for his own amusement then he will have to get it from another source."

Dorian nodded his head. He was glad that, despite his fanatical devotion to Szayel Aporro Granz, the Maestro had not become a complete idiot since the time he used his own flesh shaping skills to escape Nelliel's Wrath.

He was curious about how the former Arrancar ambassador would react if she found out that the head she received as a gift so long ago from the surviving Octavians was not the actual head of Pytr Todesengel.

"Now that we have that matter settled, let's get on with the next bit of business I wish to discuss," the Maestro said, shifting back to his saner mood.

Dorian nodded. Everything else would be business as usual. He would want the latest reports on the various experiments going on as well as how many Flesh-Tanks were ready for their modified products to be released, what, if any, promising new subjects had been acquired and so on. These were things that Dorian knew how to maneuver around.

_I am as nimble as a dancer,_ he thought as he began to give Maestro Todesengel the latest figures. _I am as graceful as a wave on the ocean._

It simply wouldn't do for the Maestro to know that he wasn't the only one directing the course of Octavia's future.

_**Las Noches**_

Tatsuki frowned at the ruins as she easily hopped from one piece of rubble to another. The corridor was choked with debris from walls or the shattered dome above her.

They would leave Las Noches to pursue Starrk's lead, but they would first rest before returning to the moon-lit desert. The part of her that was still a high school student wanted to rush out to Octavia right away. But her second mother had made her better than that.

_"Strike with blinding speed,"_ Sui-Feng had told her during one of their practice sessions. _"But only strike after knowing your enemy well-enough to know that strike is all that you'll need."_

So, she had decided that they should stay a bit longer before heading out. This place seemed a relatively safe place to stay. And they might need all their power the second they stepped outside. With the greenhouse, it was also a good place to resupply before setting out after they rested for a bit.

But, as always, there was an ulterior motive. Tatsuki's Onmitsukido senses were tingling. Something had happened here. Some kind of event had taken this city that had once been a thriving civilization and turned it into inhabited ruins.

She knew that the term "ruins" was a harsh label, but it was the closest thing she could find to describe her feeling of Las Noches. She thought about Starrk's unfinished Tower. She thought about the Arrancars wandering about or just lounging as children ran amok and directionless in half-collapsed halls.

She looked at the area they were at now. It was a domed structure that was ringed by eight cubes. It had a different feeling about it. It felt as though it had long been abandoned and yet she sensed the slight traces of Reiatsu here.

She felt in her bones, and in the itching around her Hollow hole, that this place was best to avoid. She was sure that something happened here, maybe not the BIG something, but certainly a part of it.

Tatsuki stopped to examine some of the oddly cut stone fragments. She knelt on the sand-strewn floor to study the shards and then looked at the blasted wall.

"There was some kind of mural there," she whispered.

_Yes, some of those stone fragments appear to be part of carvings depicting something, and…_ She picked up one of the fragments and looked at it. _Hmm, it appears to have been recently destroyed too judging from the condition._ She looked around at the ruined hallway and her mind clicked on something. _These ruins aren't just bred from neglect. They were made by wrath._

She knew that the Soul Society had not sent a force to make this kind of trip. That left only the Hollows or the Arrancars. And since the destruction looked to have some kind of purpose behind it, that left only one option.

"Was there some kind of Arrancar rebellion here?"

Her thoughts were disturbed by scraping stone. Her investigator mode switched over to Assassin mode very quickly.

She was moving again, listening for other sounds. She was as swift as a falcon and as silent as a shadow. She crouched behind a large piece of rubble and saw what was making the sound. A piece of the floor, hidden under a thin layer of sand, was being lifted and moved. The sound came from how it was being hindered by a section of the collapsed dome that was partially obstructing it. She tensed as she watched the dark gap widening and bits of sand falling into the darkness.

Then the movement stopped. At first there was nothing and then a pair of pale hands came out of the darkness and grabbed the edge of the gap. Nemu's head emerged and looked around before it dipped out of sight. The Lieutenant rocketed out of the hole. Tatsuki watched in awe as she twisted in the air and came to a perfect landing on the floor. Tatsuki nearly expected her to strike an acrobat's pose at the rather impressive feat.

"Nemu, what were you doing?" Tatsuki demanded as she rose from her cover.

"I must remind you, Commander, to please refer to me as 'Judea' for the remainder of the Mission. As to my activity, I was merely seeking out subterranean matters of interest on patterns similar to Yamada's discovery."

"Oh…and why were you 'seeking out subterranean matters of interest' here?" Tatsuki cocked an eyebrow at Nemu.

"A clearly unused site would be ideal place to perform activities that one wishes to conceal. Do you find my actions displeasing?"

Tatsuki suppressed a frown. It made sense. But she felt something seeing the other woman here. Now that she thought about it, she had been feeling that oppressive sensation since she entered this structure. But it was seeing Nemu that helped her to remind her of what this place felt like. It felt too much like the Squad 12 Barracks.

_And with Nemu here…are you really going to say that it's only coincidence?_

_ Stop that. You're being paranoid. Is it really appropriate for the Expedition Commander to be questioning a team member?_

"Did you find anything?" Tatsuki asked.

"I must admit that I found nothing of interest. It would seem that this place is of as little relevance as it first appears," Nemu answered in her usual toneless voice.

_I don't think that's entirely true. But is it you or this place that I am suspicious of?_

Tatsuki wondered about that as Nemu walked past her.

_**Pilgrim's Road: The Shrine to Sanction**_

Isra was relieved when the signal for a halt was given. Her feet were beginning to ache from the journey they had travelled from the Shrine. But to make things worse, her bladder ached. She had to take a piss soon, but didn't want to bring it up since that would be too embarrassing. She blushed slightly under her veil at the mere thought of making such a request.

"Are you alright?" Persephone, who was sitting on a nearby boulder, asked. She was taking her sandals off in order to rub her feet.

"Uh…yeah…yeah…I…I…" Isra stammered. She needed to empty her bladder soon and had to suppress the urge to move from foot to foot as she struggled to find the right words.

"Oh, I get it," Persephone said and gave her knowing smile. Isra's blush crept up to around her eyes from embarrassment. "There's a group of boulders over there that you can use. Just don't go any farther. I would hate for something to happen to you."

"What could happen to me, Persephone? The Sons aren't anywhere near here, right? At least that's what the leader of the guards said," Isra said. Her curiosity had won over her bladder, at least for that moment.

"There are other dangers than the Sons, Isra. Just be careful, alright? Now, you better get going before you have an accident." Persephone gave a small chuckle.

Isra tried to maintain some level of dignity, but ended up running, or at least trying to run, to some place more private. The boulders that Persephone had pointed to were too close to the others in the group for her liking. She decided to go a little farther. The small Arrancar rushed over the crust of the ridge and saw a larger pile of boulders a little ways down the other side. She rushed towards them as fast as she could and got behind one of them.

She hiked up her skirt and squatted. She sighed as her bladder emptied into the sands. She felt much better when her business was done. She cleaned herself using a slight burst of Reiatsu on her hand.

Isra stood up and raised the silk straps that held her veil in place over her lower face and allowed it to drop to hang over her modest chest. She rubbed the area where her ears met the sides of her head and smiled. The straps were only made of silk but still…

"That feels good," she whispered as she rubbed the area gently.

When she was done she reached into the pouch that hung at her side and took out a small mirror that had been a gift to her from Persephone. She used it to make sure that her hair was still neat and that the black streak was prominent. She stopped when she saw her mask fragment reflected. It had been some time since she had looked at the beak that covered her nose.

She hated the way her mask fragment looked compared to the other women. Theirs were elegant and beautiful while hers was harsh and blunt. She remembered how Persephone had told her that the Great Mother's mask fragment that covered her lower face was one of the fiercest that Hueco Mundo had ever seen and that she should be honored to have such a fragment.

_But it's still not beautiful,_ she thought sadly as she stroked the beak.

She brought the mirror back up to admire her violet eyes. She smiled at the memory of how during the banquet at the Shrine, one of the men had come up to her and said that she had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. The young man had been nice enough and had asked her name. But when she told him that her name was Isra Van Harr, he began to apologize for disturbing her and asked that she not tell on him.

"Perhaps I should have just told him it was Isra and left the Van Harr off," she muttered as she put the mirror back into the pouch.

Isra wasn't fond of attention, but she didn't want to be avoided. The memory of how for the rest of the Banquet no one had come up to talk to her still hurt. She remembered Persephone seeing her despondency and leaning in to whisper, _"You'll get used to it enough to tolerate it."_ She wondered how long it would take for her to get used to the isolation that the name Van Harr brought with it.

She sighed as she put the straps back behind her ears. She adjusted the veil to where it would cover her lower face again. She was about to go back to where Persephone waited with the other pilgrims when her ears picked up a strange, rhythmic noise.

_Boom-boom-ba-ba-boom…boom-boom-ba-ba-boom_

She stopped and looked around. She hopped on top of one of the boulders and crouched on it to get a better look. The sound seemed to be coming from a sinkhole only about three yards away from the boulder. She had not notice it before.

_Do they make a sound like that when they're formed?_

She tried to recall what Persephone had taught her about sinkholes. But the rhythmic sound distracted her and she found that she wasn't able to think clearly.

_Boom-boom…boom-ba-ba-boom…boom_

She suddenly recognized the sound. It was the sound of ritual drums. She frowned slightly. Her Hollow hole tingled in a manner that she didn't she liked. She dropped down from the boulder and tenderly walked up to the sinkhole. She had never heard of any of the Tribes holding any kind of ceremony underground before.

_Maybe it's something that they don't know about,_ she thought. Her apprehension was replaced with excitement. _If that's the case, then maybe I'll become famous and then everyone will want to be my friend._

As she got closer to the sinkhole, she began to see the faintest flickering glow of light. The rhythmic sound continued, but now it was more somber and slower than before. The beats became longer and so did the pauses between them.

_Booooom…Booooom….Booooom…Booooom_

She crept forward and peered over the edge, lowering herself to her stomach on the sands. Isra could only make out the flickering light from a large fire reflecting on the rocky walls as though the fire was on some kind of ledge hidden by the crags of bedrock that jetted out like blades below her. She froze when she saw the shadows of figures marching on the wall in a kind of slow procession or ceremonial dance.

She could make out the faint sounds of chanting coming from below, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. But the feeling she got was that the figures below were chanting some kind of prayer. Trembling, she leaned forward to try to hear them better when she felt a hand seize her ankle and drag her backwards.

She squealed in terror and surprise, but the sound barely escaped before a light brown hand covered her mouth.

She was wrenched to her feet and another arm wrapped over her chest and lifted her off her feet. She was carried that way for several long steps from the sinkhole before she was allowed to feel the ground under her feet again. Hands clasped her shoulders and spun her around.

"What were you doing?" Persephone asked in a harsh whisper.

Once again the size difference was clear with the older woman leaning over her. Isra could tell that she was suppressing her Reiatsu. But she could also tell it wanted to flare up with the palpable emotion.

"I…well I…" Isra stuttered as she felt her caretaker's anger.

Persephone shook her head and looked at the sinkhole. Her eyes narrowed over her veil.

"We have to get away before they realize that someone was here." Isra was about to say something when Persephone gave her a look that said, _"Not now"_.

Isra remained quiet until she had been marched back to the side of the ridge where the pilgrims were starting to prepare camp. All that way, Persephone kept a tight hold on her shoulder. She winced at the tight grip that threatened to penetrate her Hierro.

"What were you thinking?" Persephone asked harshly.

She was in front of Isra again. Isra could feel Persephone's Reiatsu being allowed some freedom to flare up. There was fear in it, but Isra saw more of the anger.

"I…I heard that sound and…and I…I was curious," she whispered looking anywhere but at her.

"Don't you remember those stories I told you about creatures living underground or about The Others?" Persephone demanded grabbing her shoulders again.

"But…but those were only stories…right?"

"Those stories are told for a reason," Persephone hissed. Her Reiatsu flared up even more. There was a slight cracking sound as the Hierro gave slightly under her thumbs. Persephone's hands shot away from Isra as though they had been burned.

Her Reiatsu died down as the pale Arrancar and grabbed at the gash in her protective skin. A small trickle of blood flowed from the wound. Isra looked ready to burst into tears at any moment. Persephone closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_By the Great Mother, she's still just a child,_ she thought. _And besides, I did things like that when I was her age._

"Just…just trust me on this, Isra. There's a reason why areas around sinkholes and cave entrances are to be avoided. Those areas lead underground and the Underground is the domain of The Others," she said calmly. She tilted Isra's chin up to let her see her that her eyes were free of anger.

"But who are 'The Others'? Are they the Sons?" Isra asked, curiosity replacing her pain and fear.

Persephone cleaned the area around the wound with some of her Reiatsu and examined the gash. She was relieved that it wasn't too deep and was starting to heal on its own.

"No…they're…" Persephone looked into Isra's eyes to ensure she had her attention, "they're worse than the Sons."

Isra gasped at those words. Her hands flew to her Hollow Hole which had started to prickle with her fear. She had never thought that it was possible for there to be anything worse than the Sons in Hueco Mundo. It was like being deader than dead. It was something that just…that just shouldn't be. Persephone put a hand on her cheek to wipe away a stray tear.

Isra leaned into the touch as her fragment was stroked through the veil. She could now feel the stronger Reiatsu caressing her with protective concern.

"Promise me, Isra. Promise me that you will never go near a sinkhole or a cave ever again."

Isra could hear the hint pleading note in it. She felt her stomach almost go into a knot when she realized that Persephone was actually afraid.

"I…I promise."

"Good." Persephone gently slapped Isra's veiled cheek and stood up. "Now come on before they start the meal without us. Oh, and straighten your veil. Remember, we're not home yet."

Isra nodded and straightened her veil, which had become disheveled when Persephone grabbed her. But she knew that it wasn't just the veil that she meant. Before following her, Isra looked back at the ridge and listened. The only sounds that she could hear now were the sounds of the other pilgrims and the wind.

But later, as she slept, her dreams were filled with slow, rhythmic beatings of the drums and the slow dancing shadows cast by the flickering light of the Underworld. She trembled and curled in her bed wrappings amidst the company of pilgrims.

_**Las Noches**_

"That…is a big fancy door," Tatsuki remarked.

They found the way to the Gate of Twilight easily enough, after getting some directions from an Arrancar they encountered in the Hall of Bounty. She could still remember Ikkaku giving Hanataro a hard time about what he would do if Adrianna showed up.

And when they were still a far way's off, they could easily see it. It was as easily as big as one of the four gates leading into the Seireitei, but this one had two doors and was made of stone. The stone was painted to show a wolf standing, as if on guard, on each door. Now that they were there, Tatsuki thought she saw glimpses of gold where the paint had begun to peel away.

She looked to the upraised patio that was beside the gate. She frowned a little when she saw the four guards, sitting around a table and dressed in Arrancar uniforms of white.

_The Captain would flay any member of her Squad behaving like that while they're on duty. But we can use their negligence to our advantage,_ Tatsuki thought.

The guards didn't notice them until they reached the patio and Tatsuki was stepping up on the well-swept stone surface. She saw that they were playing poker and had to suppress the Officer impulse of laying into them.

"What is your business here…Nightwalker?" one of the guards with a thick, black handlebar mustache demanded as he stood up from the table.

Tatsuki noted a rope of gold-dyed silk attached to the shoulder flaps on his jacket that draped across his chest. Since none of the other Arrancars wore that, she guessed that he was some kind of officer.

She could tell that he was uncertain of what he should refer to her as and took that last part of him trying to ascertain if she was a native of Las Noches or someone from outside. She looked at the other guards and could only roll her eyes in disgust as the officer looked around to make sure that the gate had not somehow swung open without him noticing.

_So far I would say that the Arrancars pose very little threat, _Tatsuki thought, inwardly moaning. _And something tells me that this gate isn't exactly secure. They should really think about getting a crossbar or some kind of lock installed._

"We want to leave the city. Why else would we be coming to the gate?" Tatsuki declared.

She knew that her tone was more condescending than she intended, but she didn't care. She watched the officer bristle when his men snickered. She wanted to join them as well. This Arrancar was, without question, one of the most pathetic Officers she had ever seen.

"You…are nothing but an insolent whelp," the Officer said as he made for the sword that hung at his belt.

Ikkaku stepped forward and grinned at him. The Officer staggered backwards and fell on his ass. She thought for sure that the other guards would laugh at that, but they weren't laughing. They were glaring at Ikkaku. She saw that their hands were drifting to the swords.

_And they're still sitting at the table,_ Tatsuki thought slightly annoyed.

"There…there is a toll for Outsiders to enter Las Noches," the Gate Officer huffed as he got to his feet and regained his composure.

"Well it's a good thing we're not entering Las Noches. We're leaving Las Noches," Tatsuki pointed out. "Is there a toll for that?"

He scowled at her and then looked at Ikkaku who only looked bored now.

"Open the gate. Let's get these pieces of The Night out of the King's City," he barked.

His men got to their feet and hopped off the patio to vanish as they went into Sonído. Tatsuki was still able to follow them as blurs and watched as they vanished into a segment of the wall. She wondered if it led into some kind of control room.

She felt someone tugging at her sleeve. She turned and saw Nemu's too pale face too close for comfort.

"What is it now?"

Nemu pointed to the ground just under their feet.

"I am detecting faint Reiatsu underground. I believe it is those Arrancar children from before."

Tatsuki scowled and stepped away from the group. She looked down at the ground.

"ALRIGHT, YOU RUNTS, GET OUT HERE BEFORE I CERO THE SANDS!" she shouted.

The Officer was about to protest, but immediately fell silent when he saw that she was beginning to gather a Cero. It was a lot easier than the last time to get them to obey. She wasn't sure if it was because of where they were or because she was extremely pissed-off. Either way, her demand had the desired effect. The Fangs popped out of the ground like gophers and she allowed the gathering energy to disperse.

"Officer, I believe that this pack of fools was trying to sneak out with us. Dare I hope that it's against the rules?"

The officer frowned and tugged at his mustache. There was a great clicking noise followed by an extremely loud screeching noise as the left door began to lethargically swing outward.

"Gyah, when was the last time they oiled that thing?" Ikkaku griped.

Hanataro covered his ears.

Tatsuki only ignored it. Instead, she walked among the Fangs and noticed the packs they wore. Disapproval mounted when she saw Lysander glaring at her in childish defiance. She sighed as she continued to walk among the Fangs until she found the one she was looking for with her ears shoulder deep in sand, again.

"You're Gracia, right? Do you like burying yourself?" Tatsuki deadpanned.

The blue-haired Arrancar girl cringed under the attention and nodded her head.

"I…I'm a…a good digger," she offered lamely.

There was a loud booming sound and they both looked to see that the gate was open. Tatsuki looked back at Gracia who looked up at her.

"I peg you as a smart one. So be smart. Don't let these idiots get you killed."

Tatsuki went into Sonído and whisked out of sight. The rest of her party followed. They were now heading back out into the endless night beyond.

_**Gracia**_

Gracia watched the strong adults vanish and swallowed hard. It felt as though she had swallowed sand. She wanted to obey what the woman had told her. All of her lessons and instincts told her that this was a bad idea. But if she brought that up the others would always call her "Mayuri" and she didn't want to be labeled a "Mayuri."

"Well kids," the Officer said. "If you want to go out, you need to pay up. You know the rules. Outsiders pay to come in and Insiders pay to go out." He tugged at his mustache. "So, what do you have to give me?"

Lysander smiled as he opened his bag and started taking out items they had taken from one of Davos's storehouses.

She watched as the officer examined the items, weighing the value of the bribe. She hoped that they hadn't brought enough for all of them to leave. If that was the case, then she could volunteer to stay.

They couldn't call her a "Mayuri" for that. Could they?

_**The Road to Octavia**_

Tatsuki looked at the map that Starrk drew for her again and looked behind her scowling. She was surprised that she could still see the top of the great dome of Las Noches in the distance. Of course she had heard from the guys and Rukia about how they never seemed to get closer to the damn thing. But hearing about it and actually seeing it were two completely different things.

The hardest thing was to make sure that they were heading in the right direction. Starrk hadn't even thought of giving them a compass and there were no stars in the sky that they could use. Las Noches might as well be the equivalent to the North Star or the Southern Cross in this world. It was another bizarre twist for them in Hueco Mundo and most likely it would be far from the last.

"So…are we still going in the right direction?" Ikkaku asked.

"Do I look like a walking compass to you?" Tatsuki asked, clearly irritated. "Nemu, what do you think?"

"We are still heading in a north-easterly direction. According to the map that Coyote Starrk gave us, Octavia is that way." Nemu pointed slightly to their right.

_How does she do that?_

Tatsuki looked in the direction that Nemu was pointing. But she could only see more sand with a series of jagged peaks rising in the distance. She looked at the map again and sighed.

_Question: Why couldn't he have drawn geographical features as well? Answer: BECAUSE HE'S SO CHAPPY-DAMNED LAZY!_

"Let's go," Tatsuki sighed.

The journey passed as it had for…well, however long it had been since they left Las Noches. Tatsuki found the constant moon annoying since she was not able to tell how many times they went into Sonído or how long they walked. All that they had to go by to tell time were their stomachs and their feet. When their stomachs began to rumble or their feet got sore, they would stop to rest until they were properly refreshed. Then, they would continue their boring journey with nothing but sand and the night sky around them.

There was a reason why the Arrancars in Las Noches called it "The Night", singular. It was a night that seemed to stretch on forever, without ending or interval. It struck Tatsuki in some way that she wasn't sure of.

But now they had mountains in front of them. It was a welcome sight to have something else to look at, but once the novelty had worn off, the mountains were just as boring as the sands. Well…not quite as boring. It was at least visible proof they were actually getting somewhere. After another three or four rests, they saw the faint glow coming from the base of the mountains.

"Hey, there's light," Ikkaku said.

"I can see that," Tatsuki replied.

Under normal circumstances she would have been annoyed with Ikkaku for pointing out the obvious. But the light was a welcome sight for her. It reminded her of…

"Sweet Chappy," she whispered. "I know that kind of glow. It's light pollution. That means…no…no…that's…how can that be possible?"

She saw that Hanataro looked a little nervous at the prospect of what they would encounter at whatever laid at the base of those mountains. Ikkaku looked slightly interested and she hoped that he wasn't thinking of ways to make trouble for them. Nemu…was just being Nemu.

_What are you thinking about? What's going on behind that calm veneer you always wear?_

Tatsuki knew that it was horrible to have such thoughts. But she was a member of Squad 2. Squad 2's duties included being bastards so that others didn't have to.

"Commander, the light is from the direction we want to take. I can deduce that it is most likely from Octavia. Furthermore it would be safe to assume Octavia is a city," Nemu reported.

"Thanks, Nemu, but I kind of deduced that myself," Tatsuki said, rolling her eyes. "Well, let's see what we can find."

They travelled by Sonído for the rest of the way. Tatsuki could not help but notice how tiring using Sonído was. She understood that it was akin to the Soul Reaper flash-step, but even after a time flash-step got tiring. And like flash-step, a single Sonído only went a limited distance.

They had to take another two rests before they reached their destination. Despite the awe that Tatsuki felt when she first saw the dying glory of Las Noches, she was not prepared for the forbidding sight that greeted them. In Las Noches, there had been sorrow and the mixture of power and decay that one might find in an ancient warrior's house. But power hung about this place like thick smog. She had to fight the urge to hold her breath.

Before them was a deep ditch, encased in concrete with a wall made of panels of a metal that looked like black iron rising on the other side. Looking up, they could see the lights hanging over the wall. But these weren't like the strips of phosphorescent mineral in Las Noches. These were electrical.

"They have electricity," Tatsuki whispered. "How could they have electricity?"

_That's just great. Kisuke must have been busier than I originally thought. I may just have to rip his balls off for this. Then I'll have to take him to the Fourth to get them put back on. Otherwise, Yoruichi would kill me._

Tatsuki sighed and looked at the wall. She shook her head in disgust.

_Well, at least it's not white._

"Come on. Let's see if we can find a way in," she commanded.

They hadn't been following the wall too long before they saw the group of Arrancars approaching the walled city. Even though she couldn't comprehend what she was seeing, Tatsuki kept a wary eye on them. Ikkaku's hand reached to the hilt of the Zanpakuto that hung by his side. Hanataro looked nervous. Nemu…was still being Nemu.

She counted roughly ten Arrancars on foot, six of whom were carrying three sedan chairs. Another two sat on a cart that was being driven by a pair of horse-sized Hollows. What surprised Tatsuki was the way that they were dressed. She had expected that some of them would be dressed in the Arrancar uniforms that Aizen provided. But these were dressed in tailored Hollow hides that had been dyed dark blue and they wore something golden around their necks that looked like gorgets.

One of the Arrancars noticed them and watched them intently as they approached the city.

"Don't try anything, Madarame," Tatsuki whispered. "If they come here, remember to address me as 'Eurydice' and Nemu as 'Judea.' Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it," Ikkaku replied.

The Arrancar dressed in dark blue must have decided that they were not a threat. He turned to return to the rest of his group who were making their way closer to the city. Despite the lack of communication she felt as though she had been insulted.

"Well, what now?" Hanataro asked.

"We follow them," Tatsuki said as she watched the band of Arrancars. "They seem to know where the entrance is. And we don't."

"That is the most logical course of action," Nemu said.

"Alright then," Tatsuki sighed. "Let's play Follow-the-Leader."

They followed the party close enough to see them, but not too close to where they may be viewed as a threat. She used the modified Pesquisa that the Gigai was able to incorporate in order to feel-out the Arrancars in the group. From what she sensed, one of the Arrancars in the chairs could be classified as Espada-level.

She knew that she would have had an easier time trailing them if she didn't have Ikkaku or Hanataro to worry about.

_Damn it. I knew I should have grilled those kids on how to do that gopher trick._

But she figured that it was probably better this way in case the walls had eyes that she could not see.

_"Remember,"_ Sui-Feng had told her. _"When your instincts are telling you that you're being watched, then you're being watched."_

She looked at the wall and thought she saw a slight hint of movement from near the top.

_Surveillance cameras,_ she thought and frowned. _So we are being watched. But where did they get cameras? Are they dealing with someone other than Kisuke? I know he's irresponsible, but even he would draw the line somewhere._

She felt a chill run up her spine. The mere thought that perhaps the Arrancars had other benefactors than Kisuke was troubling. Then she remembered Hanataro's account. Was it possible that this "Capo" was the one providing these Arrancars with things like surveillance cameras?

"Commander, we're almost there," Nemu whispered.

Tatsuki looked ahead and saw the cable-stayed bridge loom up ahead. The design reminded her of a picture she had seen of the Sundial Bridge in the former United States. The tower was made of a more silver-like metal, but it cast and eerie aquamarine glow. When they got closer to the front of it, she saw that the bridge's surface cast the same glow from that strange metal, but it had the transparency of frosted glass.

Tatsuki was nervous when she set foot on it, despite the ditch below only being 20 feet deep.

"This is rather intriguing," Nemu said in her monotone voice. "This bridge alone is an achievement in not only artistic style but also in scientific and mathematical principals."

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," Tatsuki nearly snarled.

Nemu glanced at her, but otherwise made no reply.

Tatsuki was glad for the brass rails with the panels of glass. That way she could have something to hold onto in case the bridge gave way. She was relieved when her feet touched something that didn't look as though it would shatter at a moment's notice.

"Next," a stern voice said.

Tatsuki looked up and saw what she could only describe as the most handsome man she had ever encountered. She felt slightly weak in the knees seeing this muscular god before her. She looked at how his black-and-green coat hung tightly to his chest and shoulders, as though to high-light his perfectly chiseled torso.

_His abs and chest must be as hard as that iron gorget,_ she thought. She was shocked at the realization of what she had been thinking. _Damn it, girl. Pull yourself together. You're on a mission. Don't turn into some idiotic school girl looking at the boys as they do weight-training exercises. Wait a minute. I WASN'T EVEN LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS A SCHOOL GIRL!_

She looked at the Arrancar again and suddenly found herself wondering what he looked like bare-chested. She shook her head more forcefully. This was not the time to be thinking about such nonsense. Then she saw that Ikkaku was looking at a female dressed in the same uniform in the same way she must have been looking at this male. She saw that Hanataro was looking at her with sideways glances while also trying to make himself as small as possible to avoid her stern gaze.

_This isn't good. Damn it, why are they so…so…perfect?_

"What is your business in Octavia?" the man asked.

"I…I…well, we're here to…to…to visit?" Tatsuki stammered.

_NO! DAMN IT, GIRL! YOU'RE SOUNDING LIKE SOME STUTTERING IDIOT!_

"Where did you come from?"

"Uh…well, we came from…from…Las Noches?"

"I see," the man said under his breath as he wrote something in a ledger. "How many are in your party?"

"F-f-four."

"Do you have family outside of Octavia?"

"Y-y-yes."

_That's a strange question to ask._

"Are you here to buy or sell?"

"T-t-to look around."

_Wait a minute. I thought you already asked something similar._

As the questions continued, Tatsuki began to become less-and-less infatuated with the man's beauty and more on the questions. Focusing on their irritated voices, she was able to detach from that lust-fueled haze. Tatsuki remembered Starrk's warning about these people. It was true that they weren't very friendly. In fact, they reminded her of the videos she had seen of the Enforcers who worked for the big businesses that controlled the politicians in the Pax Americana Party that used to run Constitutional America. But what was it about them that they had to be wary of?

"You have received clearance to enter," the guard said. "Please limit your access to areas open to the general Outsider public."

"Uh…thanks," Tatsuki murmured as she noticed the symbol engraved on the iron gorget.

_Hmm, I wonder what that means. Is it some kind of symbol of rank?_

She decided that it didn't really matter and gestured for the others to follow. Nemu seemed to not have been affected by the Arrancar's god-like image, which was no big surprise. Hanataro was eager to get away from the harshly beautiful Arrancar woman. Ikkaku, however, had to be dragged away.

Tatsuki looked at the area that was just beyond the main archway. She saw another bridge, like the one they had crossed, ahead of them. This one an arc made bronze on their side, its bronze gates were open. She looked at the triangle in the center of the arc. She wondered what it signified, and had a nagging sense that she had seen it before.

The buildings in this area were composed of harsh angles. Metal and glass rose on either side of the roadway. The sounds of hammering could be heard ringing through the air.

Smoke and tongues of fire rose into the air from the tall stacks that came from buildings that must be used for manufacturing or melting ore into metal beams or sheets. Every building here had signs of being used for some kind of industry.

_Is this a…a manufacturing district? Better watch out Hawks, the Arrancars have actually pulled ahead of the Soul Society in something._

She looked around and saw the inhabitants and gasped.

_On second thought, make that two somethings._

She could not help but ogle at the man dressed in a rather form-flattering jumpsuit and a bronze collar with a triangle etched into it. If she thought that the guard was handsome, this one was absolutely gorgeous.

_DAMN! HE'S SO FRICKIN' HOT! I'M TALKING SUPERMODEL HOT HERE!_

She had a difficult time looking away from him, but when she was able to look away she saw the other inhabitants who were going about their daily business. However, she noticed that they were all beautiful and muscularly proportionate. She watched as they wheeled carts filled with metal ore and then at the smiths who looked more suited for magazine covers than the Hollow hide aprons they wore and the hammers they used.

"What is this?" Ikkaku asked as he watched them. "Why do they all have those collars?"

Tatsuki didn't know how to respond to that. It was strange seeing how many of the people here were so gorgeous. It was as though _GQ Magazine_ decided to do a photo-shoot of models dressed like construction workers and blacksmiths. Yet, she could tell that unlike those human models, these models actually knew what they were doing and were also really familiar with the operations behind each task. Everything that Tatsuki could see and hear spoke of these Arrancars actually being more efficient than Squad 2 in approaching a task.

The thing that troubled her was, despite the different hair colors and eyes and mask fragments, they all had the same awe-filled expression of contentment on their faces. It was as though they would rather be nowhere else but here.

She watched as two of these men meet and the way they greeted each other bothered her.

"Heil, Delta 75-3-8."

"Heil, Delta 74-6-3."

_What…the…Hell? Numbers? Don't they have names?_

As they went on, she saw more such meetings take place. The only thing that could come close to being a name was the term "Delta" that they used. It was all of the "Deltas" being thrown around that caused her to realize what the triangle was. It was the Greek letter, Delta.

She looked at the gateway on the other side of bridge. That arc was made of iron, like the guards' gorgets, and it had a Γ on it, just like the gorgets. She had a feeling that it was the Greek letter Gamma.

_Next will be Beta and then Alpha,_ she thought as she remembered a book she was forced to read in high school for English Literature. _So…does that make us Epsilons or Savages?_

She refrained from glancing back to the main gate to make sure it was still open.

The buildings in the next ring looked more like traditional military barracks. It was an oddly reassuring sight for Tatsuki and she could tell that Ikkaku was feeling the same way. Hanataro only looked nervous at this area as though all of Squad 11 would come waltzing through those barracks and chase him down as soon as they saw him.

The barracks were low-lying and uniform in their construction and lay-out. She looked at the Arrancars and saw that they could all be stunt-doubles for any of the idealistic military heroes throughout the ages. There were men with square jaws and out-thrust chins and bulging biceps. There were women with smooth, heart-shaped faces and well-toned muscles and strong curves. Those in the practice yards were bare-chested, even the women were bare-chested. Tatsuki felt her face go red and saw Hanataro's and Ikkaku's faces were red as well. Seeing them reminded her of seeing Nemu practice in her new Gigai for the first time.

_They're all so…so perfect,_ she thought. She looked down at herself and felt her relatively normal-sized breasts and looked at the larger breasts on many of the female Arrancars. _DAMN IT! THEY'RE MAKING ME SO FUCKING SELF-CONSCIOUS!_

Leaving the Gamma area, they came to the Betas. The arc leading to this area was silver.

_Huh…that's interesting,_ Tatsuki thought as she looked at the arches they had already passed under. _They have bronze for Delta, iron for Gamma and silver for Beta. I see. Each district is divided not just by their corresponding letter, but also a metal. That means that the Alphas will have gold. There's no question about that. Alphas always get gold._

She looked around and saw that the buildings here looked more like the type of buildings her father and mother worked in: office buildings. As in the other sections, the Octavians here were extremely beautiful, but their beauty was more refined, even restrained. They seemed to prefer business suits that were tailored for elegance. They exuded an air of professionalism and perfectionism that was off-putting as the others hadn't been. She looked at the ornate silver Β on the left breast of their suit jackets.

Then she noticed that some of the Betas were dressed differently. Some of them were dressed more like lab assistants. Their lab coats also had a silver Β on them. These Betas, unlike the Suit Betas, seemed to have a far more elegant look to them.

But whether they were Suit Betas or Assistant Betas, they all seemed to glide as they moved. The Suit Betas made their way to their stalls and shops while the Assistant Betas made their way across the last bridge and through the golden archway.

Vendors lined the streets selling goods made of metal or clothing or various foods. Tatsuki was surprised that instead of using coins or any kind of currency, they were using a bartering system. She watched in curiosity as one traveler sold a pair of Hollow skin gloves for a cutting knife. She saw another trade a young male Arrancar for a coat made of Hollow hide and some kind of fur.

"So…how are we supposed to buy anything?" Ikkaku asked as he frowned. "And where are the prices?"

"I think that the inhabitants of this city look down on something like copper coins or plastic cards," Tatsuki said in a low whisper. "I think they would rather sell something of use in exchange for something of use, and the same goes for luxury items."

She watched as one of the Arrancars in the band they had seen exchange a bottle of whiskey for a bottle of perfume. The Arrancar turned slightly and she recognized him as the one who had noticed them.

"So," he said as he approached them. "I was right. You were nothing more than mere travelers come to gawk."

She looked at the gold gorget he wore and saw that it was engraved with a skull wearing a crown of vines. Twin rubies shone from the sockets. There were no Greek symbols though.

As he got closer, Ikkaku reached for his sword and the Arrancar stopped and frowned at him.

"It would appear as though one of your fellow travelers is not so well-behaved. Don't worry, little Panteran, I wouldn't waste my time on such as you."

"What do you mean by 'Panteran'?" Ikkaku demanded.

Clearly he thought that he had been insulted. When Tatsuki saw the smug look on the Arrancar's face, she understood that Ikkaku was right. He had been insulted. But just what "Panteran" meant, she could not say.

_Are they another group of Arrancars?_

But that didn't matter right now. What mattered now was that she had to stop Ikkaku before he did something rash. She had a feeling that causing a scene here would have serious consequences.

"Madarame," she said, "that's enough. There's no need to cause any trouble here."

Ikkaku muttered something under his breath, but he took his hands off his sword.

"He's actually named 'Madarame'?" the man asked and then burst out laughing. "Surely you jest! Why would anyone want to name their spawn after that fool who was defeated by King Poww, First of Name and First True Godking of the Great City of Luisenbarn?"

Tatsuki was confused with what this Arrancar was saying, but she began to analyze it anyways. She could tell that some important information had been shared. For one, she now knew that there were other cities. Two, Poww had founded one that was now named 'Luisenbarn', obviously in honor of his former master.

Ikkaku, however, only cared about being called "that fool."

"What did you say about my name?" he growled.

She was relieved that he still remembered that he wasn't supposed to be that Ikkaku Madarame.

The Arrancar in dark blue smiled a bully's smile.

"Well, I suppose your pet Panteran is either deaf or too stupid, like the rest of his Tribe. What about you? You don't seem to be a blood-thirsty fool. Are you a Triple then?"

_Am I a…what? What does he mean by "Triple"? Tch…he's probably asking if I'm a triple-D cup or something pervy like that._

"No es exacto, you're not a Triple, judging by that blank look on your face. And you lack a veil. But I suppose that could be explained by exile. Wait. I know. You're from Las Noches. Exacta! That must be it. All of your kind has the same look. They spend all of their time being dazed by The Day that they forget the grandeur of The Night."

"Uh…yeah…yeah…I'm form Las Noches," Tatsuki said, thinking that he wouldn't press any farther. Sure enough he nodded his head, clearly congratulating himself.

"And your two other companions? I'm guessing that the solemn one is a Voider while that scared little rabbit over there…definitely Las Noches," he sneered as he looked at Hanataro as though he was nothing more than a disgusting insect.

Tatsuki's head whirled with the information that she had received.

"I…do not know where my other companion was from. But you're right about me and my young companion. We are from Las Noches."

"Exacta. I can always tell these things. Well then, we are well-met young Primeran. I am Machiavelli Carias, Generale Della Guardia Reale for Godking Benvolio, First of his Name and Tenth True Godking of the Great City of Luisenbarn."

_Did he say his last name is Carias? Does that mean he's related to Findor Carias, one of the signatories of the Gobi Treaty? And did he refer to this Benvolio as the "Tenth True Godking"? I guess that means that Poww's dead._

"More like Chief Prick," Ikkaku muttered under his breath.

If Machiavelli heard, he gave no sign. Instead he gave Tatsuki a bow.

"And would you honor me with your name?"

"I'm Eurydice del la Rosa," she answered.

_I'm sure Chad wouldn't mind,_ she thought.

"A fair name for such a fair maid," Machiavelli said. "So, why did you come here? Perhaps I can be of assistance."

"I'm searching for some friends of mine who wandered into The Night," Tatsuki replied easily enough. She was glad that she kept what Hanataro overheard in mind. "They heard The Night's Song and went wandering. A friend of mine is worried about one of them and would have gone with us but he's a Privaron."

"Exacta. Say no more. Those from The Day become tired of it, only to see that the rest of Hueco Mundo is not as…kind."

"Perhaps you can help us then. One of them has black hair with a white streak and she's my friend's beloved. He asked me to find her in order to bring her home."

"Tell me. If I answer you, what do you have to trade with?"

"What?"

"I may be the Generale Della Guardia Reale, but I have spent enough time in Octavia to know better than give anything for free. If you asked any of the Betas here, they would only ask you what you have to sell and when you gave them something useful, they would only reply that they know nothing about your friend. If you asked a Gamma, they would ignore you and the same holds true for the Deltas."

"But you're not an Octavian," Tatsuki growled at him.

"That's true. I am a noble of Luisenbarn. I am far above these merchants and tinkers. But it doesn't mean that I have to answer without receiving some kind of payment," he answered smugly.

Tatsuki wondered if he really was a soldier or just a useless politician.

"How about we do it this way? You answer me and I won't mess up your pretty little face."

Machiavelli's smile faded. He was about to say something when he saw the look in Tatsuki's eyes. Instead he cleared his throat.

"Well…there may be some fire yet in the Primerans," he whispered and then sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you what I know and that is nothing. However, in all likelihood, the Director or one of the Alpha supervisors may know something. If your friend came this way, they would have been caught on the cameras."

_So those walls did have eyes,_ Tatsuki thought. _I knew it._

"But I should warn you. Getting to see any Alpha is nearly impossible without paying a very high price. And they name the price. You don't get any say in the matter and they always set a steep price that only becomes steeper the deeper you go."

"Thank you. And as your reward…I won't mess up your face."

Machiavelli's smile returned and he gave a slight bow.

"I'm afraid that I'm not at liberty to continue our palaver, as enjoyable a dance partner as you are Lady Rosa. Godking Benvolio has most likely finished his business with the Director by now. And he has planned to attend the auction as well."

"What auction?"

"I'm not surprised by your ignorance. Those dazed by The Day are almost always ignorant of the activities of The Night. You're fortunate that the auction is open to anybody. It's the only time that the Golden Gate is opened to any Outsider without requiring an appointment with the Maestro or the Director. If you want, you may accompany me."

Machiavelli put his right hand under Tatsuki's chin and tilted it even more.

"What are you doing?"

_Alright buddy, you're only a few seconds away before I decide to mess up your pretty face anyways._

"I'm merely examining you. Hmm, you may make a good mate, but…no es exacto. You're not my type. I prefer someone who is willing to obey and you…you have too much fire. You are one to command; not be commanded," he sighed as he pulled his hand back.

Tatsuki felt rather annoyed at that. One moment he was hitting on her and the next he was dismissing her. But she was flattered that he said that she had "too much fire."

_Oh, you have no idea just how much fire this Dragon can unleash, Blondie. Too bad you failed to notice the quills of the Porcupine as well._

Machiavelli gave a slight smirk and he turned to walk across the bridge. Tatsuki shook her head.

"He seemed nice," Ikkaku said smugly. Tatsuki did not fail to notice the smirk on his face.

"He was being an asshole. Wipe that smirk off your face, Madarame, before I decide to wipe it off for you."

"I'd like to see you try to burn it off with all that commanding fire you have, 'Lady Rosa.'"

"How about I stick a few of my quills into you instead? Then you won't feel like smirking."

Ikkaku only gave a soft chuckle and shook his head.

"Commander, should we attend this auction?" Hanataro asked.

"Why should we? We're here to look for Rukia and the others, or at least someone who has seen them."

"Then perhaps we should attend this auction," Nemu said. "There is a possibility that a high-ranking Alpha will be in attendance as the event seems quite important."

"You have something planned, don't you?" Tatsuki asked, half-joking and half-serious.

Nemu didn't answer.

_**The Alpha District**_

The first thing that Tatsuki noticed when she passed through the Golden Gate was the oppressive sensation. This was the smallest ring, the inner circle of the spider's web.

A chill ran up her spine when saw the various metal sculptures that lined the walkway leading to the central tower. The combination of harsh angles and smooth curves reminded her too much of the perfect bodies that the Octavians possessed. Yet the Octavians were as cold and lifeless as the metal sculptures.

She had thought that the Alphas would only be about the same as the other Octavian classes, but she was wrong. For her, they were much worse.

The Alphas were the pinnacle of physical allure. They were the perfect blend of masculine and feminine and she could tell that their levels of intelligence would be off the charts in the World of the Living. And yet, Tatsuki noticed that they tended to take their desire for physical beauty into the realm of the gaudy. Some of them had powdered faces and others dyed their hair in shades of just about every color she could think of. Others painted designs of pink and violet around their eyes.

It was as though they decided to make a parody of their own beauty. Or perhaps they had become so accustomed to near perfection that they could take no real pleasure in it and thus turned to the bizarre.

Their clothing was made of various synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon in dark colors with embroidery of geometric shapes in gold and white.

"I don't know whether to be intrigued or repulsed with them," Ikkaku muttered.

"Don't stare," Tatsuki whispered. "I don't think they like it, and make sure to follow the flow of the other Earthlings."

Ikkaku gave her a confused look. She only shrugged. She had thought that the Octavians were angels and that somehow made her think of a story she had read long ago by an American author named Ray Bradbury. She couldn't help but think of that story now.

"Mars is heaven," she whispered and shuddered.

It didn't take long before they were ushered into a court-like area.

There was a platform that seemed to be made of marble on the far end and box seats and balconies protruded from the sides. There was a smaller marble platform off to the side with a small door just behind it. She could make out two small gates on the left and right sides of the large platform.

Hanataro looked at the Alphas and couldn't help but notice the look of constant disgust on their faces. It reminded him too much of how many of the other Squads looked whenever anyone from Squad 4 was around. He was slightly relieved that at least the other team members were also being looked at in disgust.

"Tch…what a bunch of stuck-up assholes," Ikkaku muttered.

_Now you know how I feel,_ Hanataro thought with a certain amount of satisfaction. A feeling of guilt came over him just from that thought. _I shouldn't enjoy seeing Ikkaku have to suffer those same looks I have to endure. If I did, then I would be no better than those who always make fun of me and push me around. I should be a better man than that. It may be a thankless job being the better man, but as Captain Unohana tells us, it's the better way._

Hanataro saw other Arrancars come filing in. Some of them looked anxious about something and some of the groups were already collecting items with some purpose in mind that he couldn't understand. He saw their frightened expressions and wondered what was being sold at this auction.

Tatsuki, however, was watching Nemu out of the corner of her eye. Ever since they had arrived at Octavia, Nemu had been her normal self. But Tatsuki felt that something was going on underneath that calm veneer. She didn't know what it was, and she didn't like not knowing.

_"Remember, unknown variables can ruin even the most carefully thought-out plans,"_ Sui-Feng had told her before sending her out on her first command. She didn't know what made her think of it, but when she looked at Nemu, Ikkaku, and Hanataro, she realized that they were all potential unknown variables.

_And that includes me._

She shook that thought out of her mind. This was not the time to worry about something going wrong. This was the time to see if any of them had information on Rukia's team.

"What should we do, Eurydice?" Hanataro asked.

_Well, it's good to know that you can at least keep focused on the task at hand,_ Tatsuki thought.

"I want you to listen in on some of the conversations. If anyone has heard anything about a group of Arrancars passing through, listen to them and try your best to get more information and try your best to get more information. We must…"

She was interrupted by the sounding of a gong. Then, an all-too familiar voice cried out.

"ALL HAIL THE ARRIVAL OF GODKING BENVOLIO, FIRST OF HIS NAME AND TENTH TRUE GODKING OF THE GREAT CITY OF LUISENBARN," Machiavelli Carias shouted. "ALL HAIL THE ANNOINTED HEIR OF GOD-EMPEROR BARAGGAN LUISENBARN'S LANDS AND TITLES. HE SHALL REIGN WITHOUT END!"

Tatsuki looked to where Machiavelli stood in a balcony above them. An ornate chair was set a little back from the edge. The Alphas didn't seem to care, but they bowed slightly in respect to the Godking Benvolio. Tatsuki looked at the Godking and knew that this man was not someone to be trifled with.

He was relatively tall. His broad shoulders and chest made him look imposing. She noticed the purple cloak with white trim that was draped on those shoulders and was fastened by a gold chain. The white uniform and the iron gorget with gold gilding fastened around his neck gave him the look of being a militant monarch. His left hand rested on the pommel of the sword that hung at his side from a belt that appeared to be made of many pieces of bone cut into diamonds from two chains made of links of gold and iron.

Then her attention was drawn to his clean-shaven face. She had expected for kings dressed in this fashion to be scowling or giving a cold smile, but he only looked bored. It was as though he didn't care about the pomp that was being given him by his Generale Della Guardia Reale who was now rambling about Benvolio's accomplishments and the number of enemies he defeated and his "Divine leadership." She looked at the laurel made of hammered sheets of gold and steel with emeralds embedded in places that sat over his closely-cropped dirty blonde hair.

_He looks like a real king,_ Tatsuki thought in awe.

When Machiavelli had finished his speech about how great Benvolio was, the Godking simply nodded and sat down in the chair while Machiavelli stood by his side. This seemed to dismiss everyone from having to pay attention to the Espada-class Godking. Murmured discussions resumed.

There was another sound of the gong and Tatsuki saw a tall, angelic Beta dressed in a black nylon coat with strips of purple polyester running down the sleeves stride onto the stage.

"Welcome, welcome," he said the voice of a naturally-bred auctioneer. "Welcome to the Auction. On behalf of Octavia's Beta Mercantile Guild, I would like to express gratitude to the heads of the Alpha Leadership for permitting us to hold this special auction here at the base of the Creator's Tower.

"Now, let us begin. BRING OUT THE FIRST BATCH!"

Tatsuki gasped when she saw a group of Gammas leading a line of Arrancars wearing nothing but collars and chains being brought forward. The expressions on their faces were those of terror or hopelessness. They were trying to cover themselves, but the shackles made it nearly impossible.

_Oh gods, this is a slave auction,_ Tatsuki realized in horror.

"EDWARD! EDWARD!" one of the female Arrancars shouted frantically. She was rather pretty with silvery hair and green eyes. Her mask fragment was like an ornate comb stuck in the left side of her hair.

One of the males, who Tatsuki saw was rather plain-looking, with jet-black hair and gray eyes, looked at her.

"LYANNA!" he shouted. "LYANNA! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME!"

"Now, now, the Product does not speak or else it'll get sent to the Kennels," the Auctioneer said. "If it speaks again, it'll be the Kennels and the Alphas."

Edward seemed frightened at that.

"PLEASE, LET HIM COME HOME!"

"Only if you buy him," the Auctioneer said, smiling at the woman. "Tell me, what would you like to bid for him?"

_Bastards, they're all bastards,_ Tatsuki thought as she saw the looks of amusement on the faces of the Alphas and the Beta Auctioneer. There were many in the crowd who looked at her with haughtiness of those who know they have an advantage over others. Even those who looked at Lyanna with some kind of sympathy did nothing to act on it. Lyanna tried to speak, but her lips were trembling and she could only look down.

"Aw, too bad," the Auctioneer said, his smile becoming even wider.

"For those who would like to purchase any in this stock, please step forward and examine them."

There was little movement. Only a few Arrancars stepped forward and up the steps leading to the stage to examine the line of Arrancars. They felt their bodies, squeezing buttocks, stroking at the torsos and arms. One even squeezed the genitals of one male Arrancar. They looked at the teeth and eyes and mask fragments. Some only shook their heads and returned to their places. Three remained to talk to the Auctioneer as though placing an order.

The Auctioneer nodded and grinned as he waved over a couple of the Gammas. He gestured to some of the Arrancars, including the one named Edward.

"Those ones are to be bid on. Take the other products to the Kennels until the Alphas are ready for them."

The Gammas gave their salute by pounding their right hands over their chests and then giving the Roman salute. They marched over to the Arrancars who were pointed out and unhooked their collars from the chain. Another Gamma came over and led the other Arrancars, who were screaming and crying and pleading for mercy, away.

"Now, we shall start the bidding with this young lady here."

A Gamma dragged a young Arrancar female forward. She tried to cover herself despite the shackles, but the Gamma held her arms back.

"It is such a fine specimen is it not? Notice the firmness of the breasts and the toned muscles in the legs and arm. The hands are not soft, which means that she has experience doing work. The starting price for this dainty dish is two Hollow hides."

"FIVE HOLLOW HIDES!" an Arrancar with bushy black sideburns shouted.

"SIX POUNDS OF IRON ORE!" another shouted.

"FOUR HOLLOW HIDES AND TWO KNIVES!"

As the bidding progressed, Tatsuki felt even more ill. She wondered what these Arrancars did to deserve being brought here to be sold or used for some other purpose. She watched as the Arrancar named Edward was brought forward. The bidding was fierce with the female, who was either a family-member or a lover to him, tried to outbid the other Arrancars for him. Many of the bidding Arrancars laughed at her plight and shouted mock-encouragements for her to increase her price. Some even made suggestions of what to bid.

However, the bidding ended when Edward was sold to a honey-skinned female with fiery red hair dressed in semi-transparent sky blue silk and was being attended to by a group of male Arrancars wearing silver collars around their necks.

"Thank you, Lady Aphrodite Van Harr," the Auctioneer said and bowed.

"EDWARD!" Lyanna cried out as the auction for Edward closed. Tatsuki doubted she had really been in the running since it started.

"Enough, Lyanna, just…just go home. Forget me," he pleaded.

One of the Gammas hit him behind his knees, causing him to kneel.

"No talking," the Gamma stated monotonously.

"That's my property you're damaging. What happened to the Auction's standards?" Lady Aphrodite whined as she fanned herself.

"My apologies," the Auctioneer said with a salesman's hollow sympathy. "Is there any way that we can make it up to a favored customer?"

"Yes," Aphrodite said and looked at the sobbing Arrancar. She smiled a cruel smile and closed her fan and pointed it at her. "I'll take that one as well. It would amuse me to see what games I can play with these two."

"As you wish," the Auctioneer replied and smiled at the female Arrancar. "Gammas take that one and give her as a gift to Lady Aphrodite.

Edward cried out in horror and Tatsuki's eyes widened as the woman Sonídod.

_No. She wasn't even for sale. How could they do that?_

She came out with her sword drawn, knocking back people in the crowd. But Gammas appeared around her in a swarm, like hornets. Any chance that she had at going into Resurrección was lost as they pulled her sword away. One drove a syringe into her neck, shooting a black liquid into her.

Tatsuki knew that this was wrong and she wanted to interfere. Before she could make a move, Nemu put a hand on her trembling shoulder.

"I would suggest that you do not interfere," Nemu whispered. "It will do no good and this Lady Van Harr might decide to take you as well."

Tatsuki wanted to sink as the female tried to struggle against the Gammas, but her strength and Reiatsu seemed to lessen with each movement. She watched as the female was practically carried to where Lady Aphrodite Van Harr waited. The Gammas turned her over to the collared men attending Lady Aphrodite who stripped her down as they tenderly carried her to the palanquin until she was as naked as the Arrancars on auction.

One of the guards pulled out a steel collar and snapped it around her neck and attached a length of chain to the collar ring. The guard attached the other end to the palanquin. Down on her knees, Lyanna tugged at the collar weakly.

Edward was similarly strapped to the other side of the chair. Aphrodite smiled and reached down to pet Lyanna like a dog at her feet.

_No…that's exactly what she's treating her like,_ Tatsuki thought with revulsion.

It must have been clear to Lyanna as well. As Lady Aphrodite stroked her head, she buried her face in her hands. She could only sob as her new master smiled down at her.

Tatsuki wondered what kind of games this bitch was thinking of. But based on how cold her smile was, Tatsuki thought that she didn't want to know.

_This must be a common thing here,_ Tatsuki thought when she noticed how little attention the Arrancars paid to the spectacle.

"Stay close," Ikkaku told Hanataro who nodded numbly.

Tatsuki looked at Lyanna who was still sobbing. One moment she had been free and the next…she was in chains.

_But how could something like that happen? Don't they know that someone might…?_

_ Do you have any family outside of Octavia?_

The voice of the guard at the gate filled her mind. She had thought that there was something odd about that question. Horror filled her mind as the realization struck her.

_That's why he asked that question. They wanted to know if I had family out there. That way…they would know if anyone would notice if I never returned. And this…this poor girl must have answered "No."_

Tatsuki felt the Dragon uncurling in her chest.

She watched as more batches of the future slaves were brought in and the Arrancar who supplied them being thanked for their contributions. She paid attention to the faces in case any of them matched the ones who were on Rukia's team. If there was, then she would try to bid, but she didn't know what they had of value except for the items they brought from the Seireitei and Las Noches.

She didn't know how much time had passed until the Auctioneer began to shout, glee filled his voice.

"AND NOW WE GET TO OUR MOST POPULAR…oh…" The Auctioneer fell silent. Tatsuki looked to see what was wrong, hoping that something serious had happened.

That was when she saw the Arrancar stepping forward. His closely-cropped gold hair was dyed pink at the temples. His silvery-blue eyes sparkled. The Auctioneer bowed and so did the Alphas. The Gammas saluted. She knew that this was someone very important.

_I guess Nemu was right to suggest that we come here. Now, how are we going to get access to him?_

"This is an honor, Director Narciss," the Auctioneer said in an awed voice from his deep bow.

"I'm merely here to see how the Epsilons turned out. Please, proceed."

Tatsuki watched as the Arrancar made his way towards her. She was not prepared for that. When he got closer, she felt herself go weak again just from his beauty. Then she felt that sense of being oppressed come on her again.

_Don't trust the Octavians. They are not friends._

Tatsuki understood that she was looking at someone extremely dangerous and had to resist the urge to run.

"You must be the leader of this small group. You're from Las Noches, if I'm not mistaken."

_Just how did you…? Of course, you were paying attention to us. But…why?_

"That's right."

Director Dorian Narciss nodded.

"And how are things under Starrk's reign?"

"Very relaxing," Tatsuki huffed.

"And I'm sure very boring as well." He smiled at his own wit.

"AND NOW WE GET TO OUR MOST POPULAR ITEMS!" the Auctioneer shouted in glee. "I BRING YOU, MADE HERE IN OCTAVIA AND DESIGNED FOR BEYOND MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY, THE WORKER EPSILONS!"

_Did he say, "Made here in Octavia"?_

Tatsuki looked at the doors to the far-left of the platform as a small group of large, broad-shouldered, strong-looking Arrancars came out. However, they were not chained. And they did not look afraid or sad. They looked eager to be sold and do whatever was expected of them. They were less attractive than the Deltas and looked more like body builders with their extremely expanded muscles. Tatsuki noticed that they were carrying large metallic boulders under either arm.

_There's no way those boulders are real,_ Tatsuki thought.

The large Arrancars allowed the boulders to drop. Tatsuki could swear that she could feel the ground quake when the boulders hit the ground at the base of the platform. Some of the Arrancars let out tiny cries. Tatsuki noticed that Dorian did not move, except to nod his head in approval.

"Please," the Auctioneer said, "would any of you care to try to move the boulders?"

The Alphas present only shook their heads as some of the stronger Arrancars walked forward to try. Only a couple of the Arrancars were able to even slightly move the boulders. Only one, an Arrancar with a face painted with blue patterns and wearing a stone medallion, could replicate the feat. This earned him cheers from his fellow blue-faced, medallion-wearing Arrancars. The Auctioneer only gave him a passing look of irritation as the Arrancar dropped the boulder back onto the ground.

Tatsuki watched in surprise as the giant Epsilons jumped from the platform and picked up their burdens with ease and jump back onto the platform as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

_What are they? I could easily see Espada pulling this kind of crap, but they are nowhere near that level. They aren't even releasing._

"Well, it would seem that Formula Epsilon 5-86-Phi works," Dorian muttered under his breath as he took out a notebook and wrote something down.

Tatsuki took a quick peak at the notebook, but couldn't understand anything that was written in it since it was mostly numbers and Greek symbols. Dorian noticed that she was looking at the notebook and flicked it shut. She was impressed by his observation since she had been subtle about her glance. His face remained calm, but there was a slight flicker of amusement in his eyes.

"You should learn to be more courteous, Lady Primeran. It is impolite to try to read someone else's personal notes without asking permission."

"Sorry," Tatsuki muttered.

The bidding for these Epsilons took place shortly after the demonstration. Tatsuki was surprised that the starting price for one of these beasts was two live Hollows. The bidding came in hot and furious until all of these "Worker Epsilons" were sold. Tatsuki saw that Dorian did not betray any emotion as he jotted notes in his little book.

"NOW!" the Auctioneer shouted as he rubbed his hands together. "We come to it at last: one of our most popular products and one that is heavily on demand across The Night. As you know we here in Octavia strive for Perfection in all that we do and all that we produce."

Tatsuki saw hungry looks on the faces of many of the Arrancars. The Alphas among the group only looked at each other and nodded. That was when she noticed that they all had small notebooks.

"Let's see how much we can get from these," Dorian whispered.

"I am pleased to present to you: THE SEX EPSILONS!"

There were cheers and applauses at that. Tatsuki looked around and saw that both genders of Arrancars looked excited, except for Benvolio who only looked bored. She began to wonder if anything really got him excited.

As the applause died down, she could hear the slight tinkling sound of bells. Then they came out in a smooth and graceful procession. Tatsuki felt her face turn an extremely bright shade of red at what she saw. She felt something wet on her upper lip and suspected that her nose was bleeding.

She knew what men and women looked like naked, but even her experience in the public baths in the Seireitei had not prepared her for this display.

The creatures moved in an extremely slow and an extremely erotic dance that would have caused the most celibate monk to lose all control over their sexual desires. The bells that they wore around their hips and their wrists and ankles gave off a continuous rhythmic sound as they performed. She could catch some kind of sweet scent coming from them. Their perfect bodies were completely bare except for the transparent silk scarves of brightly colored yellowed and reds that they used as flirting tools.

Tatsuki looked over at Ikkaku and Hanataro. Hanataro had his eyes shut and his face was extremely red. Ikkaku looked as if he had been turned to stone and was hypnotized by the females' swaying hips. Tatsuki saw that Nemu…was just being Nemu.

_How does she not have a sex drive?_

Tatsuki looked back and her face became even redder as they began to demonstrate acrobatic feats that she had never thought possible before and poses so erotic that she could focus on nothing else but her own sexual arousal. The scarves were now being used to demonstrate the wildest and most arousing means of showing off their goods.

It was as though she had stumbled into a carnal fantasy.

She watched as the women thrust their perfectly firm breasts and buttocks at the crowd. Some began to finger their sex as though inviting anyone to dip into their honey pots. The males were sporting the types of erections that men could only boast about but never truly achieve, proud serpents looking for a hole to slither into. But they all looked as though they were eager to please anyone by any means possible.

She looked at the faces of the Arrancars and saw that they were entranced by this display. Some of them were even masturbating publicly. She turned away and looked at Benvolio who only looked slightly amused while, in contrast, Machiavelli looked as though he would like nothing more than to throw himself at them.

She knew what he was probably feeling. She looked at the hands of the females and the proud cocks of the males. She could imagine what they must feel like as they slid into her. She could feel her hormones raging and the wetness growing between her legs.

_No…I mustn't…I mustn't…I…I…oh gods…I want them. I want them all so bad. I want them inside me. I want to feel their flesh under my fingers. I want to feel their caresses and their tongues and their mouths sucking at my nipples…I want…I want…I want…I…_

"Ah, even Godking Benvolio is paying attention to them," Dorian observed. He leaned to Tatsuki. "So, which do you prefer?"

Tatsuki was brought out of her visions of being at the center of some majestic orgy with these beautiful creatures.

"Huh?" she asked, disoriented.

"Which do you prefer: the males or the females? Or would you prefer both?"

"I…I don't see…I don't see how that's any of your fucking business," Tatsuki snarled, trying to hide her embarrassment. She was starting to think more clearly again.

"I'll take that to mean 'Both,'" he remarked without a hint of mockery as he wrote it down in his notebook. It was as though he was thinking of it as nothing more than a mere survey on which brand of candy a person preferred.

Tatsuki blushed even deeper. She looked at the stage and one of them caught her eye. The female had burn orange hair, like Orihime. And like Orihime, her breasts were large, but they didn't have the slight sag to them.

_Damn it, Tatsuki. Get a hold of yourself._

Then she saw that the Sex Epsilons were now going out among the potential buyers. The Alphas observed as if they were watching some kind of experiment.

Tatsuki saw the female with the burnt orange hair approach her and swallowed. She barely felt the hands caressing her and the soft, honey voice whispering in her ear.

"What do you want me to do, Mistress? I can do anything you like," the Epsilon whispered leaning into her.

"Can you be my friend?" Tatsuki asked in a low whisper, unaware that she had even asked it.

"I can be anything you want me to be. I am an Epsilon. We excel in being what you want us to be."

She felt soft fingers touching her and caressing her. Her body seemed to quiver with pleasure. For a brief moment, Tatsuki wanted those fingers to keep stroking her and thought of areas where those fingers could go.

The question and the answer kept her from sinking as she tilted the face up to see up close.

She was horrified that such thoughts had actually entered her mind and yet that primordial beast wanted to be satisfied. She wanted to whisper to the girl to do things to her so that she would be satisfied beyond any of her wildest, wettest dreams had allowed. Then she looked into those eyes, and saw only the desire to please and nothing else.

She didn't want those eyes that looked in on a hollow soul. She wanted eyes that were filled with everything from hate and sorrow to love and joy. She wanted the eyes of someone truly alive and not something acting a role.

_Just like all of the other machines going around dressed in flesh,_ she thought with sorrow. _Octavia is just as dead as Las Noches. It's just too insane to realize how sick it is. And unlike Starrk's sad kingdom, this place is contagious._

The idea filled her with horror.

"Would you please stop that?" she whispered sadly.

She wasn't sorry to have it stop. What had moments before been a goddess of dark dreams was now nothing more than an empty-headed child to her eyes, unable to choose anything for itself. Pity and disgust, she could practically taste them in her mouth, as she looked at those still enthralled by the illusion. She thought of another Ray Bradbury story she had read, one that she liked, about a carnival of pleasure and nightmares. Octavia was reminding her more-and-more of that carnival.

"As Mistress commands," the Sex Epsilon whispered and moved on to another.

She saw that Dorian was looking at her as though rather intrigued. Then he returned to his notebook. Tatsuki didn't watch as the Sex Epsilons finished their demonstrations of their skills. She did not watch as the bidding war took place. She didn't watch how it sky-rocketed into nearly becoming a riot until the Gammas had to intervene. But it was the shouts from the Arrancars that made her realize that something wasn't right. She looked up and saw that even though all of the other Arrancars were going insane, none of the Octavians seemed to be affected by the aura of lust that the Sex Epsilons seemed to radiate.

It was almost as though they couldn't really feel something as primal and instinctual as lust. They were no more stirred than Nemu, who had been unresponsive during the demonstration save for smacking aside a male and then a female that had touched her.

When the bidding was done, Dorian looked at his notebook and nodded in satisfaction.

"This test group did better than the last. That means that we're still on track." He looked at Tatsuki, his face as cool as ever. "We're testing out a new formula that would allow the Product to secret an enzyme that allows for maximum sexual arousal to those around them regardless of their sexual orientation."

_So, the Alphas were merely conducting their latest experiment right here in broad moonlight. This place it's…it's a giant laboratory._ The realization made her shudder and then a sense of sorrow overwhelmed her when she thought about the Deltas and the Gammas. _They're not truly alive. They're all merely engineered._

"In other words, 'Sex sells.'"

"A basic fact that even the most inferior beast in the World of the Living could tell you," Dorian said with a dismissive wave.

"NOW WE COME TO THE LAST PRODUCT OF THIS SESSION!" the Auctioneer cried out. There were murmurs of excitement in the crowd. "Ah, I see that you're all excited. Yes, considering that for the past two sessions we did not have any to auction off, this item will have a starting bid of three Arrancars."

Tatsuki's eyes widened at the thought.

_What could be of such value as to be more popular than one of those Sex Epsilons?_ She shuddered as she wondered what obscenity would be thrown at her next by this city.

"Yes, and I have good news. We don't just have one for tonight. We have three."

The Arrancars murmured in a louder pitch.

"That's right. We have three of the most ferocious beasts to ever walk the surface of Hueco Mundo. These creatures are so fierce that we must keep them bound in chains and locked in cages for your safety. These creatures were able to kill seventeen Gammas sent into the mountains to capture them and also two of the Panterans who so graciously lent us their aid in exchange for a fair price." He gestured to the small group of Arrancars with their faces painted with ornate blue designs. They wore Hollow hides and a stone medallion hung on a leather cord around their necks. She recognized one as the boulder lifter from earlier.

_Oh gods, what kind of creatures are they bringing in next?_

"I present to you…THE UN-ARRANCARS!"

As he gestured with a flourish to the stage, there was a grinding noise. Tatsuki realized that the platform was not as solid as she thought. Part of the stage was actually another door of sorts that was now being drawn aside. She recognized the sounds of an industrial lift coming from below and saw the three cages emerge from the depths below the stage. Inside each one, bound by chains strapped to the metal lift floor and the sides of the cages were three creatures that looked to be like nightmares come to life.

There were screams of terror and excitement. War cries rose from the group of Panterans as well as another group.

"EATERS! THE CHILDREN OF AARONIERO!" someone shouted.

Most of the Arrancars backed away, except for the group of Panterans who only walked forward, baring their teeth and roaring war cries, as though defying these creatures. Another group, as though not wanting to be out-done, strode forward with chests thrust out, beating them with their hands.

"GLORY TO THE MANTIS!" one of them cried out and sneered at the Panterans.

Tatsuki turned her attention back to the creatures and shuddered.

The creatures were smaller than a normal Arrancar and they were extremely thin. Their skin had an extremely sickly pallor even when compared to the others, and seemed to be slightly luminescent. Their heads were too narrow and slightly elongated. Their eyes were large and seemed to bulge from their sockets and had developed the clouded-over look that came with living in complete darkness. Their arms and legs were extremely long and looked as though it wouldn't take much for them to break. The hands and feet each had four digits and seemed to be shaped to handle climbing up cliffs and over rocky surfaces. Instead of nails, each digit was equipped with a thick, sharp claw at the end. She looked at the feet and saw that they were more like the feet of a bird with three long, clawed toes fanned out in the front and the fourth protruding from the heel. Their mouths had no lips and she saw the large, crooked teeth, most of which were fangs.

Despite the look, they had Hollow holes and mask fragments as any Arrancar. But they were completely feral. There was nothing but wild, uncontrollable savagery on their faces and their bodies were covered in scars from fights without something so civilized as swords. Thick strands of saliva drooled from their mouths and she noticed that most of their teeth were caked with dried blood.

She watched as the creatures strained at their chains and howled and shrieked. They sounded like animals struggling to break free of a trap, not to escape, but to kill. Despite their frail appearances, she sensed that these creatures were extremely strong. They were the pinnacle of the evolution that occurs in the dark places of the world. They were killing machines and cannibals. These were Arrancars that had returned to their Hollow roots.

She saw that Hanataro was absolutely frightened of these creatures and she couldn't blame him. Ikkaku's hand was on the hilt of his Zanpakuto and he watched the creatures warily. Nemu only looked at them as though wondering what kind of things an autopsy would discover about them. She noticed that the Octavian Director looked at these creatures with unveiled disgust.

"They should have drugged them more," he muttered.

The Gammas brought out the electric cattle prods from the sheath at their sides. They kept watch on the creatures. When one seemed to get too lively and come too close to the bars of the cages, the Gamma would quickly jab at it with the cattle prod and shock it. The creature would shriek either in pain or rage or mere annoyance or some combination of the three.

"Yes, that one's very fierce," she heard one Arrancar whisper. "It would be good sport in the arena."

"I agree. That one, though, looks slightly more intelligent."

"That's not saying much when it comes to Eaters. They're too dumb to think."

Tatsuki looked at the creatures. She thought that they had a good point. They were living weapons, but their aggression left no room for reason or planning; only the instinct to kill.

"Now, let's start the bidding," the Auctioneer said.

If Tatsuki had thought that the bid for the Sex Epsilons almost caused a riot, this one seemed to almost start a couple of wars. The Gammas had to intervene in a fist fight between two Arrancars, one from the Panterans, and another who was screaming obscenities and swearing by "The Great Mantis" that he would rip off the Panteran's cock.

"YEAH AND YOU'LL PROBABLY USE IT IN PLACE OF YOUR OWN COCK SINCE IT'S SO TINY YOU CAN ONLY MOUNT CRIPPLES!" the Panteran shouted.

"FUCK YOU, PANTERAN FILTH! I'LL CUT OFF YOUR COCK AND FEED IT TO YOUR SPAWN AND MAKE YOU MY NEL! THEN I'LL SHOW YOU HOW 'TINY' I AM!"

"I'D LIKE TO SEE YA TRY, THRALL-BAIT!"

"Panterans and Sons," Dorian whispered. Tatsuki looked at him, slightly confused. "Don't mind them. They're merely insignificant Savages."

Tatsuki watched as the Gammas dragged the two Arrancars away from each other. They were still shouting obscenities at each other and telling each other what they would do after they cut the other's manhood off.

_Is that all men can think of when bashing each other? Men are so simple-minded,_ she thought with a sigh.

Tatsuki could not help but think of Squad 11 whenever she saw them get involved in one of the fights that broke out as the bidding went on. She looked at Ikkaku and saw that he was starting to enjoy himself.

"So, when do you think we'll be visiting them?" the Third Seat whispered.

"I think I would rather not," Tatsuki whispered back.

_But we may end up having to. I'm sure that they probably picked up some of the Squad 11 members._

When the last of the Eaters had been sold, the Auctioneer raised his hands.

"THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THIS SESSION! I AM PLEASED THAT IT HAS BEEN SO PROFITABLE FOR ALL. PLEASE, ENJOY YOUR GOODS AND MAKE SURE TO VISIT THE MARKETS IN THE BETA DISTRICT! FOR THOSE WHO BOUGHT, PLEASE SEND SOMEONE TO THE CLAIMS COURT JUST OUTSDIE FOR PAYMENTS TO BE MADE IN FULL BEFORE RECEIVING THE BILLS OF SALE."

The Arrancars began to leave. Those who had made purchases sent representatives outside. Tatsuki watched Godking Benvolio stand up and gestured for Machiavelli to follow him. She had noticed that he had not engaged in any of the bidding wars.

_Then why did he even bother coming if he wasn't going to bid on anything? Did he just want everyone to admire him?_

"Well, now that's over," Dorian said and turned his attention to Tatsuki. "I would very much like for you and your companions to come with me as my personal guests."

"Uh…why?"

"Cautious…that's good. But there's no need to worry. I merely want to find out more about Las Noches since I'm hoping to develop some contacts there," he assured her with a smile that was anything but.

"So…I gather that this is strictly Business?"

"It's strictly Business."

"Well then, I suppose it will be alright. But keep in mind that there are those who will miss us, Director Narcissus," she reminded him.

Dorian nodded, his eyes almost twinkling with amusement.

"It's good to see that you have a fine head on your shoulders. But even then, that bit of data does not mean anything Daywalker. The Night is dark and full of terrors, and travelers have been known to vanish while on the road to and from Octavia. Those of The Day usually don't understand that. And we of The Night are not forgiving of ignorance. Now, shall we?"

"Where are we going?" she demanded refusing to back down.

He gestured to the tall tower of glass and metal that stood at the very center of Octavia. It rose high, coming to a point as if to pierce the moon.

_Great,_ she inwardly groaned, _just what I need: more suggestive imagery._

"We're going to the Creator's Tower."

"I'm not so sure about…," Tatsuki began and saw that there were about a dozen Gammas watching them despite the dispersing crowd. "…about that," she finished.

Dorian smiled at her.

"It will be alright. I promise I won't bite. I may poke and prod a bit, but I never bite."

He gave a cold chuckle at that and Tatsuki felt a chill run up her spine. His smile and that cold chuckle reminded her too much of Mayuri. She knew that it would be a mistake to go with him, but it would also be a mistake not to. She figured that it was best to follow him of her own accord than be forced to by the Gammas.

"So, are you coming?"

"I guess I don't have much of a choice in the matter," Tatsuki said.

Dorian looked at her.

"Oh…there's always a choice."

_But it's always mine,_ Dorian's silvery blue eyes seemed to say.

"In that case…it would be lovely to be your guests."

Dorian smiled at her and with a smooth, graceful turn, began his way to the Tower. Tatsuki gestured for the others to follow his lead.

Ikkaku looked at her as though asking if she was sure about this.

Tatsuki shook her head "no" in answer to the unspoken question.

They came out onto a broad avenue that cut a clear path to the Tower in a gentle incline with only a couple of smaller suspension bridges over deep gashes in the rock that formed the foundation of Octavia. Tatsuki was surprised and relieved at that. She had expected something like the labyrinth of Mayuri's domain.

"We could wait for the transport," Dorian said as he came to a stop. "But I don't see why we should."

He blurred into a Sonído. Tatsuki noted that most of the Gammas tailing them had peeled away.

_And why wouldn't they? We are heading into the belly of the beast whether we like it or not._

_**Inside the Creator's Tower**_

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

When they first entered the Tower, the first thing that Tatsuki noticed was how much it reminded her of the main foyer to a large office building. There was even a large front desk where some of the Betas were filing paperwork. She looked at the glass panels of an elevator at the far end and then her eyes drifted to the metal door. She frowned slightly at it and was about to make her way over to it when the Director called out.

"This way, please. I would hate for something to happen to you and it's so easy to get lost in this place."

Tatsuki looked at him and saw that he was making his way to an ornate stairway. She took another look at the door, wondering what secrets laid beyond. Then she followed him.

The tower met her expectations of being a maze. But it was still unlike Squad 12's labyrinthine compound. Mayuri's domain was strictly utilitarian, with none of the bizarre vanity that he put into his own appearance. This tower, on the other hand, was like a nightmarish amalgamation of art deco and classical styles. The mirrors that hung on the walls, ceilings, and even the floors, added to the feeling of disorientation. Tatsuki diligently tried to keep her internal map charted. It would be vital if things went wrong.

It was something of a relief when they reached the very pretty and very disturbing man's office. But the relief didn't last very long when she saw what it looked like.

The floor was made of steel that was engraved with a pattern of concentric circles. His seat of power was behind the desk at the right side of the room. The far side of the office was transparent giving a good view of the city below. Directly opposite of the desk was a Neo-Classical portrait of himself with other portraits of the same subject in styles ranging from Cubism to Surrealism to Post Modernism hanging from the wood panels around the rest of the room. And, as though wanting to live up to his name, there were screens of full-length mirrors at each corner of the room.

He gestured for Tatsuki to take a seat at the only other chair in the room. She looked at the chair that sat innocently in the center-most circle of the floor design. She went over to it and sat down. Dorian sat behind his desk and laced his fingers together.

"Now, let's talk about this 'Capo' I've been hearing so much about. While running such an operation under the Primera's nose is no great feat, I understand that Lady Nelliel is still a…what's the phrase? Oh yes, a 'Holy Terror.'"

"Sir, with all due respect, I am here on official business. And smuggling is technically unofficial business."

Tatsuki decided that half-truths might be the way to handle the situation. Hopefully, if she could convince this man that she had nothing to offer he would throw them out and decide that they were inconsequential enough to forget.

"I see..." He looked at the rest of the members of her group stood, eying each one as though weighing and measuring them. "The rest of you wait outside." He unlaced his fingers and waved a hand at them.

Ikkaku looked at her and she nodded. He put a hand on his sword, but left with the others. She was now alone with Dorian Narciss.

He smiled at her as he put his hands together. He allowed his fingertips to tap against each other as he studied her.

_Like a spider,_ she thought, terror growing. She looked at the patterned floor and saw that it now resembled a giant spider's web.

"I find most inferior beings to be utterly repulsive, little better than humans. But you…you have a certain…allure that I doubt a lab can replicate. You were sent on a fool's errand and yet you passionately pursue it with the intellect of a hunter. And yet…you're no fool. You see how absurd your venture is.

"What separates me from my peers is that contradictions and the unknown do not vex me. A true scientist revels in such things. They are merely obstacles that we are meant to meet and overcome. Without them, our existence is as pointless as a poem being recited with no one to hear," the director sighed, allowing ecstasy to cover his last words.

The Director's words were unlike everything else Tatsuki had come to know in this place. They were still twisted, but that tone of ecstasy was real.

"Director Narcissus, I may be flattered, but…"

"You're not flattered," Dorian broke in. He placed his hands on the table and leaned forward and he smiled his hideously angelic smile. "You're disgusted. And I know that I disgust you."

"Regardless," Tatsuki continued, not allowing that beauty to overwhelm her. "I am looking for someone. I'm looking for woman who is small of stature with violet eyes and black hair with a white streak and a beak-like fragment. She would also most likely be accompanied by a small number of researchers and a group of warriors lacking tact."

"Sounds like a rather dull troop. In my experience, I find that most warriors lack tact. It seems to make them more effective. Take our Gammas for instance. We sacrificed raw power in favor of discipline with them. It was a good trade, but the loss can be quite telling at times. But they're not even close to those horrid Epsilons."

"Speaking ill of your own products? They seem to be quite in high-demand."

"They are, but that's because our customers are nothing more than a pack of fools. One would think that they would realize that perfectly obedient servants are a fool's dream. Most of them die by working themselves to death because their handlers can't judge limits. Some will die by lack of sleep or dehydration or hunger. They burn themselves out in order to please their masters. The Epsilons are nothing more than biological tools.

"And yet those idiots should have realized that we would have replaced the Deltas with the Epsilons long ago if they were everything we claimed." He leaned back and rolled his eyes. "They're little better than humans."

"Why are you telling me that you are scamming the people who scare you?" Tatsuki asked. Her eyes narrowed.

Dorian looked at her and smirked.

"What makes you think that we fear the Savages? We are a superior breed to them."

"If that were true, then you would be taking what you want instead of relying on economics to make you indispensable. I think that this city is just like those Epsilons. Sure it's impressive, but it is also very flawed. Those flaws can make it easy to take this place apart if someone put in enough effort."

Dorian looked at her and smiled. He clapped his hands in a slow rhythm.

"Very good. Excellent. Oh, how wonderful. You are such a fine and perceptive little Savage. You're right. Unfortunately there are so few people who bother to look past the facts presented to see the gaps between the lines. We use that to our advantage."

There was a long period of silence. He was looking at her in that same thoughtful and weighing way he had done with the others. He leaned forward slightly.

"I'll tell you what. I'll answer your question and I'll do you one better. I forget nothing and I have no memory of this girl. That does not necessarily mean that she wasn't here. It only means that she never came to my attention.

"As for the one better…" He opened one of the drawers in his desk and took out a clear piece of plastic with a metallic strip. "I'm going to give you unlimited access to see if that bitch snout of yours can pick up any kind of scent. Don't ask why. I merely find you too fascinating to send away empty-handed."

As Tatsuki took the piece of plastic, he lashed out with his other hand and grabbed her wrist. She struggled, but the grip was too strong. She looked into his face, but it still had that angelic smile on it. But his eyes blazed with cruel amusement.

"I would advise that you don't tarry too long. Otherwise, I might decide to cut you up and see if I can't bottle that allure and use it in the next Epsilon model. Who knows, I might even model a batch of Sex Epsilons after you. Wouldn't that be nice?"

He released his grip and leaned back. His smile never wavered.

"Now, would you be so kind as to send in that dreary friend of yours? I do love to toy with Voiders. I find that Nihilists are the best to play with. For all of their bragging on being so emotionless and thinking that nothing really matters, there's always that one button that will make them explode. And the sound is all the sweeter for the looking."

_**Nemu Kurotsuchi**_

Nemu took her seat cataloging the Commander's warning to her as the door closed. There was a soft clicking sound as the mechanical lock fastened the door shut. The Octavian Director rose from his seat and walked over to her. He knelt at her side and lifted on hand from her lap and kissed the pale flesh.

His eyes locked with hers.

"Now that we're alone…"

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

Tatsuki didn't really like or dislike Nemu, but she was worried about leaving her alone with the Director. Based on her interaction with him, she could tell that he was the type of man that was best not to cross. She hoped that Nemu would remain on her guard and felt the urge to slap herself for such a silly thought.

_Of course Nemu will be on her guard,_ she thought. _It's Nemu we're talking about; not Kiyone._

After she had told Nemu that the Director wished to speak with her in private and had given her warning about him, she merely gestured for Ikkaku and Hanataro to follow her.

"Well?" Ikkaku asked when they had walked away from the office.

"We can look around. The Director will not interfere and he gave me this." Tatsuki held up the piece of plastic for them.

"Uh…okay, but…what is it?"

"Oh!" Hanataro cried out. "I know what it is. I've seen some of the mortals use something like it in the World of the Living. It's a key card."

Tatsuki smiled. She thought that was what it was. And she had a feeling that it could open up any door they wanted.

_Too bad he only gave us one,_ she thought. _But beggars can't be choosers._

"Alright, since this is our only one, we're going to have to stick together. I don't want any of us to wander too far from the others. Is that clear?"

"What about Ne—I mean, what about Judea?" Hanataro asked, slightly worried.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Tatsuki said, deciding it best to tell a little lie

_Too bad I won't be able to watch whatever's going on in the Director's office,_ she thought bitterly.

"Fine," Ikkaku sighed. "The sooner we start looking the sooner we can leave. Now, where should we start?"

Tatsuki thought about it and then remembered the metal door with the words "COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY" on it when they first came in. She had a feeling that it led to someplace important.

"I think I have an idea. Follow me."

It took a little longer than she had anticipated for them to make their way back to the foyer. Her inner map of the halls had led them into five dead ends and travelling around in a circle, but they eventually got back. Ikkaku and Hanataro looked at the door in confusion.

"Okay…so…why do we start here?" Ikkaku asked.

"I guess you don't read much in your spare time, though I guess it was way after your time," Tatsuki said as she dug out the plastic key card. "When I was in High School, our teacher, Miss Ochi, had us read a lot of boring books. Anyways," she pointed at the words, "these were in one of them. It was the motto for some organization or something that liked to clone people and use drugs and have lots of sex. I had to write a report on it," she growled a little, "and Miss Ochi made me write it again."

"Uh…okay, so…where does it lead?" Hanataro asked.

"Well, it could lead to some place important," Tatsuki said as she examined the card reader to the side of the door. "Or it could just lead to a broom cupboard." She put the key at the top of the reader and slid down.

There was a small clicking sound as the door unlocked and the red light became green. Tatsuki pulled at the handle and the door swung easily enough. On the other side was a long hall, completely sterile white except for the metal strips running under the fluorescent lights on the walls.

_Damn, I feel like I'm back at Squad 12,_ Tatsuki thought with a shudder.

"Remember," Tatsuki whispered, "keep close."

Hanataro and Ikkaku kept close to her. Their footsteps were the only sounds in this hall aside from the soft humming noise of the lights. At the far end was a pair of metal doors with a metal plaque above it that had 101 engraved on its polished surface. There was another card reader on the wall.

Tatsuki slid the card through this one and there was a soft grinding sound coming from the other side. When the soft grinding sound came to a stop there was a soft _ding_.

_Well, there's a sound I never thought I would hear again._

The doors slide open to reveal a good-sized elevator. They stepped in and Tatsuki noticed that there were no buttons. The doors slid closed and the elevator began its descent. Tatsuki did her best to hide her nervousness, but she could feel cold sweat on her brow.

"So…what should we do if we find something?" Ikkaku asked.

"I…don't know. I don't even know what's waiting for us at the bottom of this damn thing."

"Well, we can always meet back at the elevator," Hanataro suggested.

"Yeah, that might be…" Tatsuki began, but before she could finish, the elevator stopped.

There was another soft _ding_ and the doors slid open to reveal a waiting area. Tatsuki blinked a few times when she saw how white the room was. It was too bright and too white for her liking.

_Even the Chappy-damned chairs are white,_ Tatsuki thought in disgust.

She saw the reception's desk at the other side and noticed a female Assistant Beta typing at an actual computer. The Beta looked up and stood.

"Welcome. How may I assist you?"

"Uh…well…" Tatsuki didn't know what to say. This wasn't what she had expected. "Well, the Director gave us permission to look around and…"

"How may I be of assistance?" the Beta asked again.

Tatsuki looked at Ikkaku and Hanataro who only looked confused.

"Could you…tell us what this area is?" Tatsuki asked.

"Certainly, I am glad to be of assistance in this regard. This is the break area for the Alphas and Betas who work in this department."

"Okay, and…and what exactly does this department do?"

The Beta blinked in surprise and frowned slightly.

"I'm sorry, but that information is classified. Visitors are allowed to wait here for a representative to…"

"We're here to look around," Tatsuki said.

"I'm sorry, but…"

"We have permission from the Director," Tatsuki cut-in and showed her the key card.

The Beta looked at it and then walked towards her. For a moment Tatsuki was afraid that the Beta would snatch the key card away from her. But she only leaned forward to get a closer look.

"Yes, this is a high Administrative-level key card and the Director is always careful with their distribution. Very well, since you have the Director's permission, you have free access to this area."

"Thank you," Tatsuki said and walked to the only pair of doors, other than the elevator, in the area.

Hanataro and Ikkaku followed close behind.

"That was close," Hanataro whispered. "For a moment, I thought she would do something."

"I did too," Tatsuki whispered.

She slid the card into the reader on the wall. Nothing happened. She tried it again and still nothing happened. For a brief moment she was afraid that an alarm would sound and a host of Gammas would come rushing out of somewhere to take them away. Then she remembered something. She slid the card again, this time doing it slowly. There was a clicking noise as the door unlocked.

"It's good to know that even they have problems with these damn things," Tatsuki muttered under her breath as she pulled the door open. The little imperfection brought a little smile on her face.

They walked through the doors and Tatsuki stopped in her tracks. They were outside again, but this time the sky was a morning blue. Before them was a large dome-like structure that looked slightly familiar and far below was the desert.

_We're…we're in Las Noches,_ she thought. _No, that's impossible. This must be some kind of projection or something._

She put a hand out to the side. For a moment, she thought that her hand would hang in mid-air, but then she felt the smooth, glassy surface of a screen. She pulled her hand away.

"It's…it's so strange," she whispered.

"Hey, aren't some of these structures in Las Noches?" Ikkaku asked.

Tatsuki could only nod her head. It was strange that despite their boasts and dreams of the future, the Octavians still clung to the past. But no matter how realistic it looked, the image around then was nothing more than another illusion.

When they reached the door on the other side of the hall, Tatsuki used the keycard again and they stepped into a rather large room. She looked around and saw beds with the frames made of bronze, iron, silver, or gold. Each one had an Arrancar child in it and they were asleep. She saw that each one was wearing an old fashioned pair of large headphones and were hooked up to an IV unit. She walked over to the nearest bed and looked at the IV drip bag with a label that read "SOMA MENTAL ENZYME: Β-79-Φ41-Ψ." She looked at the pair of headphones and leaned down to take a closer look. She lifted the headphones away and heard a soft, silky voice.

"I am glad to be a Beta. Being a Beta is a privilege. I am glad to be an Octavian and a True Arrancar. I am glad to serve the Creator. I am glad to be a Beta. Being a Beta is a privilege. I am glad to be an Octavian and a True Arrancar. I am glad…"

Tatsuki lowered the headphones back on the young Arrancar's head. She felt uncomfortable about doing it, but she knew that it wouldn't do any good not to since an Assistant Beta or even an Alpha would be making the rounds and only put the headphones back on. She looked at the beautiful faces around her and felt numb to them.

_Please let that bastard be right. Let Rukia and the others not have come here. It's too much like the nightmares that someone like Heinlein put down on paper. No…worse because I can't just chuck it into the trash,_ Tatsuki thought as her eyes lingered on the future Octavians as they were being brain-washed.

She thought about the blank stares of the Deltas. She thought about the eyes of the Sex Epsilon who looked too much like Orihime. She thought about Nemu. She had always assumed that Nemu was engineered to be the way that she was, but now…

_What if Mayuri did something like this to her? Shit. When we get back I am going to launch a real internal investigation of Squad 12, career be damned._

She looked at the Arrancars and for a moment she could actually imagine young Shinigami in beds like those as they were being drugged and molded to be loyal to the Gotei or Central 46 or to whoever was in charge. She closed her eyes.

_No…that's for another time, _she thought. _Right now I need to focus on the Mission. But later…remember this._

She opened her eyes and looked at the others.

"Let's go," she whispered.

She led Ikkaku and Hanataro to the white door that was on the far side of the facility. She looked at key card and at the scanner. She wondered what other secrets were hidden behind the doors down here.

_The only way to find out is to open them,_ she thought as she slid the key through the card reader. _But do we really want to know what's on the other side?_

The door slid open to reveal an enclosed area with a pair of glass doors on the other side. Tatsuki frowned slightly as she heard something. She took a step into the enclosed hall and put her ear against the wall. She thought she could hear the sound of machinery coming from the other side along with something that sounded like…

_Is that…moaning? Maybe my imagination is just running away with me. But…what are they doing down here? I can't believe that it's merely just a mechanical area. Or else why would they hide it behind these walls and why would they use glass sliding doors on the other end? And why is the room behind us filled with sleeping kids?_

_ But, can logic really apply to a madhouse like this? No. It's not off-the-walls crazy. This place is reason's inbred cousin. It makes sense if you subtract anything approaching any kind of traditional worldview,_ she told herself.

At that moment, a quote floated into her mind: _"A defiance of natural laws implying a disregard for moral ones."_ She never realized just how well-read she was until this assignment.

Her investigator's senses roared to life. Her primal instincts told her to run, but her Onmitsukido instincts told her that she should investigate. If Rukia's team had not come here, then chances were that they had not come to this area and thus would have a gap in their data that could prove vital. It was that factor, if not the long-shot of actually finding any sign that Rukia's team had been here, that decided the matter.

"We might as well check it out," she whispered to the others.

"Are you sure?" Ikkaku asked. "Don't get me wrong. I'm willing to check this place out if we have to. But I just…I just don't like this place."

"I don't like it either. But we might find something that the First Expedition missed that could prove invaluable. We should find out as much information about a potential enemy as we can."

Ikkaku thought about it and sighed.

"I'll go," Hanataro said. They looked at him in surprise. "I mean…I don't like this place either, but…but I think Madarame is thinking of going and…and I'll go too."

Tatsuki raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"I guess this is a case of 'One for all and all for one,'" she said.

They made their way to the glass doors ahead of them. She used the key card and the door slid open. For a moment, Tatsuki was reminded of the greeting area of an office floor. The metallic desk to the side was not as large as the one in the break area that was on the farthest exterior of the complex, but it was pretty fair-sized.

The Beta sitting behind the desk looked up briefly before returning to the piles of files on the desk. Apparently the assumption was that they wouldn't have gotten this far unless they had the proper clearance.

_Man, with the right key, a person could actually destroy this place unopposed,_ Tatsuki thought as she looked at the key card. _Tch…for all of their talk of being superior, I think that the only kind of combat that these Octavians could really win would be the type involving paperwork. And I have a feeling that they may not even have that much competition since I'm willing to bet that most Arrancars are illiterate._

Tatsuki walked past the desk and was not surprised that she was unopposed. Hanataro and Ikkaku followed. Hanataro paused for a moment and spared the Beta a sad glance before continuing on.

The hall beyond was filled with doors and it was here that Tatsuki first feared for their safety. Unlike most of the other areas where the Betas were the dominant presence, it seemed as though they had finally arrived to the realm of the Alphas.

The Alphas rushed around wearing stiff, black over-coats over their usual brightly-colored clothes. The way their coats shone made Tatsuki think of body bags with golden Alpha symbols emblazoned on the left breast. They were followed by Assistant Betas who were carrying files or equipment or pushing gurneys with Arrancars strapped to them.

But so far, the Alphas were too focused on whatever they were doing to pay any attention to the Outsiders. Tatsuki hoped that things would continue that way, but it didn't.

The situation happened when they saw two Alphas walking towards them. They were talking to each other and Tatsuki realized that they had no place to hide from them.

"Yes, Flesh-Tank Delta 6 will have to be replaced soon, unfortunately. It's already on its 50th Production Cycle and most of the stock from the last Cycle had to be disposed of."

"It happens. Equipment becomes ineffective and must be completely replaced. But it did last longer than the previous model. So, we are making progress. We can ask the Director for one of the Flesh-Tanks that Godking Benvolio has supplied after it has finished its current Cycle."

"Yes, but what if…? Hey, what are you doing here?"

The Alpha pointed at them. The other Alpha looked up in surprise and then smiled at the trio.

"Hmm…it would seem as though the Director is supplying us with some new stock. Excellent," he remarked as he put the tips of his fingers together and began to tap them together.

"Don't be ridiculous. If that was the case then the Director would have sent us a memo informing us which cage to fetch. Though the female would probably make a good replacement Tank," his companion mused, looking Tatsuki over thoughtfully.

"I'm not going to be somebody's 'Tank'," Tatsuki snarled at them.

"She has the temperament of one of those barbarians," the first Alpha muttered in disgust.

"Yes, and that begs the question…" the other Alpha mused and looked at Tatsuki. "How did you get down here, Savage?"

"This," Tatsuki said and held up the key card. "The Director gave us full access." She made sure not to allow any of her anxiety to show.

_If you act like you have authority then people tend to assume that you actually have it,_ she thought.

"Is that so?" the Alpha who mentioned making Tatsuki a "Tank" asked, still looking her over and smirking.

"Scytale, it appears to be a valid Administrative-level pass. If they are here by the Director's permission, then we must respect his guests," his companion said as he focused on the card.

"I know that, Hayt, but we have not received any message from the Director about this," Scytale pointed out, eagerness filling his voice.

"If you don't trust us," Tatsuki said trying to sound haughty, "then perhaps you can call up the Director and ask him for yourself. But I should warn you, he's currently with our fellow companion to talk business. And he doesn't strike me as the type who likes to be interrupted."

The two Alphas looked at each other. Tatsuki hoped that they would go for it, but Scytale only smiled at her.

"And what's to stop us from making you disappear? I'm sure that the Director won't mind. It's not like you would be going to waste if he did investigate," Scytale challenged, his smile becoming even wider.

"Can you really take that chance? Regardless of his concern, or lack thereof, for our well-being, wouldn't interfering with us while we are under his authorization be seen as undermining his authority?" Tatsuki asked. "Hmm, I wonder what would happen if Lady Nelliel found out that a close friend who she sent to Octavia for business had vanished."

She knew that it was a lie, but she hoped that Nel's name would cause them to back off. At the very least she was sure that the first part held water. This place was all about hierarchy and breaching it was a logical taboo for them to have. She was not disappointed.

"Did…did you say that you're from…from her?" Hayt asked. Despite the painted patterns of violet and green on his face, she knew that his face had paled.

"That's right. She and Starrk have agreed to consider opening up some kind of trade with Octavia and we're now in negotiations. But I wonder how those things would go if something was to happen to us. And I also wonder what would happen to those responsible. After all, the eyes and ears of the Director are everywhere. Am I right?"

Scytale's face was now completely paled at that. She knew that she nearly had them. She could only hope that they would come to the desired conclusion on their own. Hayt whispered something to Scytale who only nodded.

"Very well," Scytale said. "Nothing shall happen to you or your companions unless the Director tells us otherwise. I suggest that you tread cautiously, Specimen. There are so many ways that one can have an unfortunate…accident here."

Tatsuki smiled conscious to make her smile mimic her fragment.

"I always tread cautiously."

Scytale grimaced at her and the two Alphas walked past them.

Tatsuki sighed in relief when they were a proper distance away.

"That was way too close for my liking," she whispered.

"I'll say," Ikkaku said and smiled. "Damn, that was good quick-thinking."

"Thanks, but I just grabbed at what I could. I just hope that they don't decide to do any follow-up until after we're out of here."

"In that case, shouldn't we do a brief search?" Hanataro suggested.

Tatsuki nodded. She looked at the key card and could only smile. So far, it was like being handed the keys to the kingdom and now she knew how to deal with any Alphas who might try to stop them from investigating or try to take them hostage.

However, they were still in the Belly of the Beast. It would only take a single word from the Director for their protective talisman to turn to dust. And Tatsuki knew it.

_Maybe that's why he gave this to us,_ she thought as she looked at the card. _He wanted us to see what kind of power he wields here. I hate to say it, but I'm impressed…disgusted but impressed._

They continued walking down the hall when Ikkaku came to a stop in front of a metal door. The door was bigger than the others they had encountered. Tatsuki thought that it was clearly designed to allow a significant amount of traffic and some pretty good-sized machinery. He looked at the metal plaque on it and he looked at Tatsuki.

"Isn't that…?"

Tatsuki nodded when she read the plaque:

FLESH-TANK Δ6

_Well…whatever it is, it's obviously a big deal. After all, they seem to rely on others to supply them. It's too bad Nemu isn't here with us. This is more her territory,_ Tatsuki thought as she slid the key card into the card reader.

When she pulled it out, there was a buzzing sound followed by three harsh clicks. Tatsuki pulled the door opened and they looked inside.

The room was well lit, but it took her a moment to register what she was seeing. Hanataro seemed to have grasped the sight first as he was making a strange sound. After what seemed like a long time, she finally registered what was resting on the other side of the pit. Several cables and tubes were hooked into it.

Her eyes widened in horror and her mouth slid open.

"No," she gasped. "No…that's…that's…"

She felt ill. Her stomach was clenching so hard that she wanted to bend over and her knees threatened to buckle. What she was seeing was something that could only come from the darkest nightmares of a science fiction writer or an artist like H. R. Giger combined with the twisted mind of the Nazi sadist known as "The Angel of Death." The Flesh-Tank's mass shifted enough to look in her direction and she could no longer handle it.

She ran from that dazed, milky stare.

Ikkaku and Hanataro called out to her, but she didn't hear them. She could only run. She could see the image of the Flesh-Tank, supported by the tubes thrust into its naked body with the top of the head completely cut away with the electrodes and IV drips piercing into the revealed brain. But the thing that horrified her was that grotesquely large stomach squirming with what she could only think of as being a large host of parasites.

She didn't know where she was going and she didn't care. Her mind was in a blind panic to where she couldn't even think of going into Sonído. She only wanted to get away from that image. But no matter how hard she ran, that image seemed to hang before her. And there was no escaping it.

She came to a halt and leaned against cold metal. She panted for breath.

"Oh…oh…gods," she moaned. "Please…please…don't…don't let Rukia have come to this fucking place. Oh please…"

The thought of seeing Rukia hooked up like that would have been way too much. Then she remembered the Sex Epsilon who looked so much like Orihime and she felt even more horrified. The thought of Orihime being in a place like this made the taste of vomit fill her mouth.

Then another horrific realization struck her and made her shake with terror. She felt like she was a little girl again trapped in a nightmare.

"Me…he…he wants to make me…oh…oh gods…oh Mother…I…I…I want my Mommy…I…I want my Mommy…" she whimpered as she stumbled.

She looked at the key card in her hand, threatening to cut through her Hierro. She knew that she was right to view it as a protective talisman. If she didn't have this piece of plastic, she would most likely be strapped down by now. Images filled her mind of her struggling against whatever restraints were used as Scytale or even the Director sawing her skull and then filling her with…with…

A high rasp hissed from her as she trembled in fear from the images of her being like that thing.

She looked at the metal hall across from her and saw her reflection. She saw that she had somehow become a little child ready to cry. She saw that she was prepared to dig a hole and hide in it. The image enraged her. The self-loathing and anger came back with fiery vengeance. She allowed it to come despite the shame it brought with it. That fierce fire burned back the fear until she could still herself. Her face hardened and her eyes blazed with fury.

"Bastards," she whispered. "They're all fucking bastards. I…I want to…I want to kill them all. I want to tear them all to pieces."

Her Inner Dragon roared in agreement. Hatred became her answer to terror. And it was good.

She gathered herself and looked at where she was rising to her feet.

She had no memory of how she got here and that fact brought a sense of panic to her.

_Oh gods…no…I…how did I get here? Where am I? Where…WHERE ARE THE OTHERS?_

She looked at the long corridor with the large numbers of metal doors on both sides. Each door had a card reader located to the side with a label located on the door. It reminded her of a hallway in any hospital, though she knew healing the last thing this place specialized in. She looked at the door she was leaning against and looked at the message typed on clear plastic that had been slid into the label holder:

PRIMERAN

CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL ONLY

_A Primeran? Here? Why would a Primeran be here?_

Then she remembered what Scytale said. She got a mental image of a Primeran leaving Las Noches and coming to Octavia, and being grabbed like that poor Lyanna girl. She knew that Rukia was at Las Noches. If there was a Primeran locked inside, then perhaps they could tell her something.

That made the decision easy for her. She had faced horrors before and she would gladly do so again for friendship and duty.

She used the key card to unlock the door. She opened the door and walked into the brightly lit room. She had to close her eyes at how bright the white room was. She turned her head to the side and saw that there was an area that was not white. The room reminded her of an autopsy room with the metal table and metal-lined drainage area on the floor. And then there was the blood.

_Bloodstained…like this whole place; no one even bothered to clean it up yet,_ she thought grimly.

Then her eyes went to the figure strapped to the table and she nearly cried out when she saw the Arrancar. She knew that she should have expected something like this, but her shock and horror were not diminished at the sight of the butchered Arrancar on the table. To make it worse, the Arrancar was still alive, despite having the Hierro cut away from its torso and clamped to the sides to expose the internal organs. The top of the skull had been cut away to reveal the brain. Electrodes and IV drips were embedded into various organs and she saw that while some were completely withered, others were larger than normal.

She looked at some of the empty IV bags off to the side and saw that they were labeled with the words: "EXPERIMENTAL HORMONAL COMPOUND" followed by a variety of numbers and chemical formulae.

Tatsuki was about to leave in disgust when the Arrancar cried out.

"NO! NO! BOOM-BOOM-BA-BA-BOOM-BOOM! HYA! HYA!" The Arrancar became quiet again and then, "Candy…candy…pink hair…boom-boom-ba…AAAAAAAAAAH! GYAAAAAAAAAA! KILL 'EM ALL! KILL 'EM ALL! THE ELEVENTH!"

Tatsuki turned around at those last words. Freezing horror filled her. She rushed to the table, ignoring the horrid sight on the table and looked at the face. It was not an Arrancar after all.

_Oh gods,_ she thought as her mental catalogue found the name to the face: Makizo Aramaki, known to the Pink Menace as "Maki-Maki."

"What happened to you?" she whispered.

"Reee…ayaaaaaahaaaaaaaaa…You're all crazy aren't you? Is it really necessary to go this far just for a friend? Boom-boom-ba-ba…hear 'em…hear 'em…hear 'em…AWOOOOOO!"

Tatsuki could not understand what he was saying. Had he gone mad? Was that at all really surprising?

"Team Member Aramaki, what happened to the others? Where's Rukia?" she barked desperately.

"Gimme crack-corn and I don't care, gimme crack-corn and I don't care…"

_He's too far gone. I'm not going to get anything from him. At least his Gigai and cover held up,_ a part of her mind said.

"Shit," Tatsuki muttered.

For a moment she was tempted to unhook Maki-Maki from the machines that were keeping him physically alive. Then she thought about what would happen if one of the "Authorized Personnel" came in to check on him and found him dead. She couldn't risk the Mission's success in order to just put a fellow Soul Reaper out of their misery.

"The Mission always comes first. I am sorry comrade," she whispered as she turned to walk out of the room.

Her body felt completely numb. She had found one of the Fist Expedition's members and he was too far gone to be of any use. To make it worse, she was powerless to even help him. Tatsuki felt as though a large weight had been put on her shoulders. She made her way down a corner and saw Ikkaku and Hanataro running towards her.

"COMMANDER!" Hanataro shouted, obviously relieved.

"Hanataro…Ikkaku…" Tatsuki muttered.

"Damn it. What were you thinking? I know that…that thing was bad enough to see, but for you to run off like that. That's not like you," Ikkaku said sternly. "But…I can't say that I blame you. I was about ready to bolt too and you being a…" he continued in what passed for his sympathy.

"I found one," she whispered.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Ikkaku asked.

"I found…a member of Operation Izanagi."

"What? Who was it? Where are they?"

"Maki-Maki…room labeled 'Primeran'…need card key."

"How is he? What happened to him?" Madarame demanded as he stepped up to her.

"Alive and…and not…not whole," for the first time she could remember she couldn't meet his eyes.

Ikkaku stared at her and then he held out his hand.

"Give me the card key," he demanded as he held out his hand. "I need to see him."

Tatsuki looked at the piece of plastic in her hand and then at Ikkaku.

"GIVE ME THE CARD KEY!" Ikkaku shouted.

Tatsuki held it out to him and he snatched it. Her hand remained in place for her to blink at. He made his way down to the hall that Tatsuki had rushed out of. He stopped and looked at her.

"How bad?" he demanded.

"Really bad," she conceded as she straightened.

"And…and you left him alive? Why?" he snapped.

"The Mission must come first," she answered automatically.

"Fuck the mission," Ikkaku whispered, unable to keep the heat out of his voice.

Tatsuki watched as he turned down the hall. She looked at the hand she had held the card key in and bit her lip.

_Shit, there's that unexpected variable,_ she thought. _Now what do I do?_

_**Ikkaku Madarame**_

He marched down the hall and looked at the labels by the doors. When he reached the one that Tatsuki had found by accident he used the card key and opened the door. He took one step in and looked at the remains of his fellow soldier in Squad 11.

He felt disgust rise in him, but he had long learned that fear and disgust achieved nothing. He had survived the Rukongai by giving himself over to other emotions. Ikkaku felt the hatred rise in him, pure and cold: hatred for the Octavians, hatred for this place, and most of all, hatred at Tatsuki for leaving a comrade like this.

He dug into his pocket and dug out the medallion that Maki-Maki always carried for luck. He bit his lower lip to fight back the tears as he approached. Maki-Maki was now going into a drinking song that he would sing whenever the fighters of Squad 11 went out for drinks.

Ikkaku looked at his friend with anger and pity. He looked at the flaps of skin and then at the gaping exposed area with its grisly occupants. He was surprised that the area around the Hollow Hole was solid bone. Ikkaku pulled out the pins that held the flaps of skin to the side and then covered the gaping hole as best he could. He knew enough about medicine to know it would hardly be enough, but it was the least he could do to give back some sense of dignity. He knelt beside Maki-Maki's head.

"Maki-Maki," he whispered.

Maki-Maki looked at him in surprise and grinned.

"Hey, lookey here boys, Cue-ball's finally arrived," he cackled as if they were in the Squad 11 Barracks.

"That's right," Ikkaku whispered as he looked at the electrodes and IV drips implanted into Maki-Maki's brain. He felt rage at those needles. They were part of this madness. He turned his attention back to Maki-Maki. "That's right. I'm here buddy," he reassured him as his hand reached for the exposed lobes.

He didn't know what removing those metal needles from Maki-Maki's brain would do.

"Where's Peacock-boy? Heh…I don't think I've seen you without Peacock-boy. Boom-boom-ba-ba-boom. The night came alive with the beating of drums. And the bald moon rose over the roofs of…of…of…GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Ikkaku's fist tightened around the medallion and he began to pull the electrodes and IV needles out with the other hand. He hoped that it would either kill him or help him to think straight. Each time he pulled out one of the long needles, he watched Maki-Maki flinch or tremble. Sometimes he would cry out, but those cries were either of surprise or terror and not actual pain. When the last of the intruding needle was out of his brain, Ikkaku looked at him expectantly.

Maki-Maki moaned. His eyes turned slightly and looked at Ikkaku. Ikkaku noticed for the first time that the eyelids had been cut away. Maki-Maki was trying to blink and Ikkaku felt the rage return knowing that the bastards who did this to him had not even allowed him to keep the ability to open and close his eyes.

"I-I-Ikkaku? Is…is that…you?" he whispered, his voice harsh.

"Yeah, it's me. I came looking for ya. The Lieutenant sent me to try to find her favorite candy provider," Ikkaku answered relieved that his comrade's sanity seemed to return.

"She…she did? Well…that's…that's…I can't cry. Why can't I cry? I…I'm bad ain't I?"

"Yeah, you are buddy," Ikkaku admitted refusing to avert his eyes.

"Please…kill me. I…THE PAIN! THE PAIN!" he shrieked as he struggled weakly against his bonds.

Ikkaku felt tears come into his eyes and he drew his Zanpakuto. He stood up and looked at Maki-Maki's face. Whatever drugs had kept him from feeling the pain, they were wearing off.

He looked at the medallion and then at Maki-Maki who was fighting the pain. He grabbed Ikkaku's wrist with one bloodied hand.

"Tell…tell the Lieutenant…tell her I…I'm sorry…for…for not…not getting her some candy," he gasped through the torment.

"I will. I'm sure…I'm sure she'll be sad. Here, I…I got this for you." Ikkaku showed the medallion in his hand. Maki-Maki's eyes shifted slightly to look at the medallion and they shone with the light of recognition.

"Gave that…as payment for…for healing…was…was…warned about Octos…thought smuggling…get back report. You…you keep it. I…I'm sorry. I failed," he whispered.

"No, you didn't fail," Ikkaku answered calmly.

"I did. I…GYAAAAH! AAAAAAAGH!" he screamed.

"Is it the pain? It is. I know it is. Hanataro. Hanataro would know what to do," Ikkaku muttered.

"Can't…no good…I…I know…useless…I…kill…me…a…a blade," he begged.

Ikkaku looked at him in sorrow. He did not question it. It was what he came here to do anyways. He looked at the scalpel on a nearby tray. It would have to do. He picked it up and held it up for the man to see before pressing it into Maki-Maki's hand. Fingers closed over it and the mangled man managed a smile.

Ikkaku put the blade of his Zanpakuto to Maki-Maki's throat. The man looked at him, smiling, and managed to give the slightest nod of his head. He would be killed by the sword with a blade in his hand, as it should be for anyone in the Eleventh.

"Panthers. Look for Panthers," he whispered. "Beware the drums of the Underworld. The…The Others. Underground. Menos Forest…The Others. Look for Panthers. Understand?" he muttered. Ikkaku could tell that speaking was becoming extremely painful for him and his eyes were becoming clouded.

"Yeah, I will," Ikkaku choked receiving the report his comrade had gone through Hell trying to deliver.

"I could go for some…some candy," he whispered.

Ikkaku felt the tears roll down his cheeks as he thrust the blade into Maki-Maki's throat. He watched as the blood welled-up from the wound.

"You…you will…you will have all the candy you…you want," Ikkaku whispered as he fell to his knees and lost control of his grief.

_**Somewhere in the Eurasian Confederation**_

Yachiru clung to Kenpachi's shoulder as she had always done. Uryu had once compared it to a young gorilla clinging to its parent's back. Neither took any real offence at the comment despite the Quincy's fear at being overheard.

They were running in an open field, and were being out-run by the Eurasian Glider on its rail. She felt something and the pink furry chibi cat ears she wore now seemed to perk and then drooped.

"Hey, Kenny," she whispered pulling closer.

Kenpachi knew from her tone that something was bothering her. He slid to a halt.

"What is it now, Yachiru?"

"Something…something made Baldy sad again," she whispered closing her eyes.

_**Below Octavia**_

Tatsuki sat on the floor, her back against the wall. Hanataro sat next to her, unable to comprehend what she had said. They heard footsteps and saw Ikkaku walking towards them. He held Maki-Maki's medallion in one blood-stained hand. She saw that his Zanpakuto was still drawn in the other.

"I'm going to kill them all," he whispered bowing his head as he reached them. "Excuse me."

"Don't," Tatsuki whispered. "What good would that do now?"

"It'll make me feel better," he answered huskily.

Tatsuki stood up and faced him. He saw her earlier doubts were gone. He faced Sui-Feng's pupil now.

"It'll jeopardize the Mission," she told him.

"Is that all you care about now? I saw what they did to him. They…they butchered one of the few people who stood by my side after Yumichika died. AND YOU LEFT HIM IN THAT STATE!" he yelled at her.

Hanataro jumped a little and began to whimper slightly at Ikkaku's rage. Tatsuki did not respond. She had seen Ikkaku when he was angry, but she had never seen him this angry. But she knew that he was expecting some kind of excuse.

"I was thinking of the Mission. Do you want Rukia to…" she began flatly.

"To Hell with Rukia," Ikkaku snarled. "I don't give a shit anymore. And you…I thought you were better than this. You left him alive in that state. As far as I'm concerned you're about as bad as the fuckers that made him that way in the first place."

"If you want to hate me, Madarame, then hate me." Tatsuki unsheathed her Zanpakuto and pointed the blade at Ikkaku. "But I will not have you jeopardize the mission. If you're going to be a liability, then I am more than willing to put you down. And if they ask what happened, I will simply tell them that Central 46 was right about you all along. Your name will be tarnished even more and you will be labeled a 'Traitor' to the Gotei 13."

"You wouldn't," he spat after a moment's hesitation.

"I would. Now, which will it be? Will you go on a rampage and get us all killed unless I kill you first? Or will you put your sword away and have a chance at bringing as many of the other members of the Expedition back home?"

Ikkaku looked at her and re-sheathed his Zanpakuto scowling.

"You're right…this time. But regardless, he deserved better than to be left like that. He was a member of the Gotei and we do not leave any of our men to suffer like that. If we encounter any fellow Gotei members like that, we allow them to die with honor: by our blades. Anyone who says that killing someone in that kind of state is immoral is a fool. Leaving them alive to suffer like that and allow them to do anything but soil themselves, that is immoral because it takes away their dignity," Ikkaku declared stonily.

"You're right," Tatsuki whispered as the words hit her. "If I made every decision based on my moral compass, then I would have killed him. But an Officer can't always base their judgment on morals. We have to look at every possible factor in order to make a decision. I didn't kill him for a major practical reason and that is what would happen if his death triggered some kind of alarm and if they caught us. What would the Director do? I highly doubt he would simply let us go for killing a prized specimen. Most likely he would have us strapped to an operating table ourselves. But you probably didn't think of that because you were too focused on ethics and not enough on the reality of the situation."

Ikkaku thought about it and realized that she was right. He had not taken such a thing into consideration. But he couldn't bring himself to admit that Tatsuki was right.

"I guess neither of us has the right to claim the moral high road here," Ikkaku whispered. "I still think that you should have ended his suffering since you are the commanding Officer."

"And I will not argue with you on that," she admitted.

"Anyways, he…he did become mentally stable enough to give me information. That's why he was here. I think he thought that he could get out of Hueco Mundo here and report back."

_And yet there was a smuggling operation in Las Noches,_ Tatsuki thought sadly. _If he had stayed there, he would have been fine and we would have found something out a lot sooner._

"What?" Tatsuki looked at him in surprise. "What did he tell you?"

"I'll tell you when we get out of this damned place," he growled tying the medallion around his wrist.

_**Later**_

Tatsuki Arisawa was relieved to be back above the ground. Even the endless night was preferable to that stainless steel dungeon. But she wouldn't be fully relieved until they were far away from Octavia. She hated this place, but she knew that there was nothing they could do about it. But first, they had to get Nemu. Regardless of her feelings about the secretive Lieutenant, she was still part of their team, and she wouldn't abandon an enemy to this place if she could help it.

They made their way to the stairs that the Director had led them up before. Ikkaku looked confused as he looked at the glass-and-metal doors they had entered.

"Where are we going?" Ikkaku asked. "The door's over there."

"We need to find Nemu. Then we're getting out of here. And…"

She stopped when she saw Nemu coming down the stairs. Her eyes took in how disheveled she looked. She saw that her jacket was messed up and that one shoulder was bared. Her belt was also far off center and looked to have been hastily fastened.

"Nemu, what happened?" she gasped.

"Please, refer to me as 'Judea'," Nemu said in her monotone voice. "As for your question…I have made a deal with Director, and we are free to go."

_What kind of deal did you make with him? Gods, what did that bastard make you do?_

Tatsuki wanted to ask those questions, but thought better of it.

"Nemu, what happened?" Hanataro asked when he saw her. His eyes were wide with concern.

Nemu didn't say anything. Instead she only made her way to the door.

"Commander," Ikkaku whispered, "what happened to her?"

Tatsuki thought about what the Director had said about Nihilists and shuddered. She had a good idea of what that bastard made her do. He was a man after all. And sometimes men took what they wanted either by force or persuasion.

"Let's go," Tatsuki whispered.

As they left, she had the sensation that the Director was watching them. She turned to look up the Tower's Exterior and could only make out a figure standing at the window where she thought his office was. The figure turned and vanished. She looked at Nemu and walked up to pull her tunic up to cover her shoulder again.

"Thank you," Nemu clipped.

_**The Beta Market**_

Beta 74-3-2 scurried as he put replacement items on the shelves of his shop and stopped when he saw his brood mate, Beta 74-3-5, approaching. After their production was finished, all Octavians were given a serial number with the class at the forefront, followed by their Production Cycle number, then the Flesh-Tank number, and then their designated number given when the Alphas ensured that all Products met Octavian standards. Only the Alphas were permitted to have an actual name aside from their serial number. No one questioned it. It was how things were always done.

He bowed to the Assistant Beta who bowed in return.

"Good evening, Beta 74-3-5."

"Good evening, Beta 74-3-2. How is your business doing?"

"It has been most profitable thanks to the Auction."

"Yes, the Auction does fetch plenty of business. If you'll excuse me, I have some files to deliver."

"Then follow your purpose."

"And you as well," the Assistant said, giving a slight bow. The Assistant Beta walked away accelerating his pace just enough to compensate for the time spent chatting. Beta 74-3-2 continued to look through the items that had been traded to him to see what would be of value.

"Excuse me," a voice said, interrupting his calculations.

The Beta looked up from his duty and immediately stood at attention when he saw the group of four standing in front of his stall.

"I am pleased that you have come to my stall. It is my purpose to serve as best I can."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the dark-haired girl with the reptilian under-jaw for a mask fragment said. She pointed behind him. "We would like that."

He turned and saw that map that he had hung on the stall. He smiled at her. That map had been there for quite a while and he thought of some items that could be hung there in its place.

"The lady has a good eye. The map is very detailed and I guarantee that it is up-to-date. I received it from an Arrancar Noble from Luisenbarn in exchange for some fine liquor. It is guaranteed to help you find any place in Hueco Mundo. It has all of the major cities like Luisenbarn and Pantera labeled on it and also some of the more obscure locations such as…"

"Yeah, yeah, that's what we want," the bald-headed male said as he scratched at the area just to the side of his small-horned mask fragment covering his forehead.

"Well, I am a merchant and we do not give. We bargain. What do you have to trade?"

He watched as they talked about it and then the smallest one in the group spoke up and approached. The Beta watched as he unstrapped a section of his jacket and fondled at something underneath. The Beta was intrigued. It was clear to him that this Arrancar had some kind of cache-belt under his jacket, which wasn't unheard of. If he was going to trade in the cache-belt then he could easily re -sell it for something else. Instead he brought out a small packet and put it on the counter.

"Will…will that be…alright? It's…it's ground Orihime's Touch."

If the Beta felt emotion, he would have been whooping for joy. Medicines from Las Noches were extremely rare and extremely valuable, both to trade and for all of the Alphas' important experiments. However, he did not have emotions. Instead, his calculating mind went to work. He opened the small pack and looked at the ground petals. The small amount inside was enough to buy not just a map, but also a pound of dried Hollow meat. Unlike human merchants, Betas were designed not to cheat their clients knowingly.

"It is enough. Plus, you shall receive a pound of dried meat. That is the total amount this will buy you."

"Fine, fine, we'll take it," the woman said again.

The Beta nodded to them and he took out a pair of scales and a one-pound weight. He turned and took the map down from the wall and looked at them.

"Rolled or folded?"

"Folded," the woman who was obviously their leader replied.

He nodded and folded the map and set it on the counter. He reached for a basket filled with dried meat. He measured out the meat and weighed it on the scales until the side with the one-pound weight and the side with the meat was exactly even. He dumped the meat into a rough hide bag and placed it on the counter next to the map.

"Is that it?" the leader asked.

"That's it," the Beta replied as he put a hand on the small bag of medicine and bowed his head.

"Thanks."

"It has been a privilege to serve you. Please, come and visit Octavia again. Your business is always appreciated."

"Don't count on it," the woman muttered under her breath. "Come on, we're getting out of here."

The other three followed her to the main entrance of Octavia. The Beta cocked his head slightly, confused about why an Outsider would not wish to return to the wondrous city of Octavia.

_**Pytr Todesengel's Office**_

Maestro Pytr Todesengel looked at the sales figures from the Auction and looked at Dorian Narciss sitting across from him.

"I see that the latest experiments for the Sex Epsilons went all," he said as he glanced at the file spread across his desk.

"That is correct, Maestro. Soon, we will achieve our objective in that department."

"Good. I want you to inform the Alpha Researchers to tackle the problem on how to get the Worker Epsilons to not last so long for the Savages. But make sure that the Worker Epsilons we use are more durable than they already are."

"That will require a certain amount of genetic preferential treatment, but I am sure they can manage," Narciss answered.

"Good. That is all then until I summon you again. The Light of Perfection shines on your endeavors, Director," he waved to indicate that the Director was dismissed.

"And the Light of Perfection shines on your leadership, Maestro," Dorian said with a bow.

Pytr watched Dorian walk out of his office and he smiled. The Auction had gone smoothly and it would only be a matter of time before the Savages would come back for more. He stood up and walked to the far wall. He slid one of the wood panels aside and placed his hand on the scanner in the small, hidden compartment. The Maestro waited as it read his palm and then came the clicking sound followed by the mechanical sound of one of the mirror panels used for the ceiling came down to reveal a narrow staircase that led to his secret sanctuary.

He walked up the steps into the dim room. Unlike the office below, this room did not have any of the glass windows to allow him to look out on Octavia. Instead, the walls were lined with Holo-screens displaying the false day of Las Noches. He looked at the vanished glory and cursed Nelliel's self-righteous vendetta.

"If it wasn't for you, you damn hag, I would be much closer to achieving my dreams," Pytr hissed.

His focus went to the single steel table and wondered how long it would be until Dorian found himself on its cold surface. So far Dorian was proving himself to be far more efficient than his predecessors had ever been and Pytr hated to waste anything useful.

He then turned to the tank on the central dais that marked the absolute center of Octavia. He smiled in awe and fell to his knees. He crawled his way to the tank and up the black iron steps of the dais. His awe only became greater as he basked in the Creator's glory. He wrapped his arms around the tank and allowed his tongue to roam on its smooth, cold surface.

"Oh…Master of masters," he moaned. "Soon, very soon, you shall be restored." His ecstasy mounted as he got to his feet. "Then…then you shall lead us into the Golden Age."

He allowed his hands to caress the tank's surface. He was proud to be the only one allowed access to this most sacred sanctuary. He was proud to be the only one permitted to bask in the Creator's presence. He was proud to prepare a Kingdom for his master's return.

He looked into those dark amber eyes he knew and loved. If Dorian saw him he would immediately think of a dog in the presence of its master, humping their leg.

Maestro Pytr Todesengel continued his embrace of the tank containing Szayel Aporro Granz, sleeping his dreamless sleep. But Pytr Todesengel would dream for him. And he would make sure that those dark dreams became reality.

**End of Chapter 5**

**A.N.: The Octavian society was inspired by Aldous Huxley's novel **_**Brave New World**_**, the Tleilaxu society in the **_**Dune **_**novels, Nazi Germany, and the film **_**Gattaca**_**. There are also nods to Fritz Lang's **_**Metropolis**_**, which laid the groundwork for many Science Fiction films like **_**Blade Runner**_** and **_**The Matrix**_**, and novels such as **_**1984**_** and **_**The Island of Dr. Moreau**_**.**

**The Eaters' look was greatly inspired by the Morlocks in the novel **_**The Time Machine**_** and the cave creatures in the film **_**The Descent**_**.**

**The Character of Pytr Todesengel owes his first name to Piter De Vries, the Harkonnen Mentat in **_**Dune**_**, and his last name to Josef Mengele who was known as the "Angel of Death" (**_**Todesengel**_** in German) who was known for performing human experiments in Auschwitz. Dorian Narciss is a nod to **_**The Picture of Dorian Gray**_** and the story of Narcissus, who was so enamored by his reflection that he drowned when he tried to embrace it. The Alphas Scytale and Hayt are nods to the novel **_**Dune Messiah**_** in regards to them being named after two of the Tleilaxu products: a face-dancer (a being that can change its appearance, voice, and gender) and a ghola (a clone). **

**That's all for now, and we'll see you next chapter.**

**Thank you for reading, and please review.**


	7. Chapter 6: Hero's Requiem

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 6: Hero's Requiem**

"How long has she been in here?" Ichigo asked as he looked at the small space that was Tatsuki's office.

"She's been here since she was promoted to Lieutenant of course! Some of the Squads do these kinds of hazing things," Rangiku answered from her perch on the table in the hallway. She was somehow able to avoid knocking the vase over despite how much of the table she was sprawled out on.

"Are you just going to lay there or are you actually going to help?" Captain Izuru Kira muttered. "And why am I here anyways?"

The men stood inside the storage closet turned office. They weren't quite side-by-side due to the small space. Ichigo looked at the desk and wondered how they had been able to fit the damn thing in here and how they would get it out.

"Aw, don't be like that, Izuru," Rangiku whined. "I thought you wanted to help us."

"Why would I? I barely even know the girl. And address me as 'Captain Kira'. Honestly, how you ever became a Lieutenant is beyond me," Kira said.

"Well you need to get out more. And who has more experience with heavy objects than you? Now, be a man and move a lady's furniture," Rangiku insisted as she took a swig from her sake bottle.

Ichigo shook his head. He looked at the cramped quarters that Tatsuki had, for some reason he could never really understand, actually tolerated.

_Hell, forget tolerated, she seems to have prospered in it,_ he thought. _I wonder what she'll do when she comes back and finds out she's actually been using a closet as an office for decades._

"You know," Rangiku said, "a lot of people will be awfully upset. We were placing bets on how long she would stay in here before she found out that this wasn't even supposed to be her office. A few bet that she would never figure it out."

"Well, you can start a new pool," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes. "You can start placing bets on how long it takes for Tatsuki to find her new office."

"Let's just get this over with. Kurosaki, take that side," Kira moaned as he gestured to the desk.

They both moved forward a step and stopped when they realized they had a problem. The narrow space to each side of the desk, while wide enough to move around in, wouldn't really give them enough room to really move the desk. Ichigo moved behind the desk and pushed Tatsuki's chair away while Izuru got in front. They were able to pick it up and get it to a slight angle. They moved the desk closer to the door before they realized they had another problem.

"Stop. Stop. Stop. Shit, it's not going to fit," Ichigo moaned when he saw how wide the door was versus how wide the desk was.

"We'll have to swing it," Kira said as he looked over his shoulder.

Rangiku grinned like the Cheshire Cat as she watched them labor to move the desk lengthwise. She realized the truth of the situation long before they did.

"DAMN IT!" Ichigo yelled when he noticed it. "It's still too wide."

"Well…how did it even get in here?"

"Maybe they assembled it in here. I don't know. Let's…let's try a different angle," Ichigo said as he looked at the desk legs.

"COME ON, YOU CAN DO IT!" Rangiku cheered. "YOU'RE MEN! THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE! NOW SHOW THAT FURNITURE WHO'S BOSS!"

"Why don't you jump in and help?" Ichigo asked.

"What are you talking about? I am helping. You won't find a hotter cheerleader to help keep you pumped." She smiled at them.

"Don't bother. It's pointless. OK, let's try tilting it. Maybe we can ease it through," Izuru said.

The two lifted up the desk and tilted it to the side. Drawers fell out and their contents scattered across the floor. The two men exchanged looks while Rangiku nearly choked on her sake for having to suppress a peal of laughter.

"Uh…maybe we should have emptied the desk first," Kira muttered.

"Yeah," Ichigo moaned as he looked at the items.

"Well don't just stand there," Rangiku said as she pointed at them and then at the floor. "Clean it up."

"Don't make me sick Kiyone on you, Matsumoto," Ichigo warned as he stooped to pick-up as much of the debris he could from the floor.

He grabbed a mostly empty drawer and dumped the paper and pens into it, leaving the wrappers for the cleaning detail. He noticed that one drawer was still in place because it had been locked.

_That must be where she keeps her important papers and her candy,_ Ichigo thought, smiling. He knew that Tatsuki had a sweet tooth, but she never went too overboard with her snacking.

"Hmm…interesting," Kira muttered as he inspected part of the floor.

Ichigo and Rangiku straightened at the sound of a latch being unfastened and a trap door being pushed aside. Rangiku draped herself across the desk top to get a better look. Her…assets hung over the edge. All three looked down into the secret crawl space through the trap door and at Tatsuki's secret treasure trove.

"That…is a lot of sweets," Izuru said.

"I knew that she had a sweet tooth, but this…"

"Looks like someone needs a better handle on their vices," Rangiku chided as she emptied her sake bottle. Izuru and Ichigo looked at her, scowling. She saw their faces. "What?"

"Never mind," Ichigo moaned and looked at Izuru. "So…what do we do with this? If Yachiru gets a hold of it…"

"I know," Izuru said, shuddering at the mere thought of Yachiru on a sugar rush.

"Isn't it obvious? WE HAVE A PARTY! The kids will make short of it and I can…. Ooh! Are those Twinkies?" she cheered as she weighed the loot with her eyes.

_**Hueco Mundo**_

Tatsuki stopped in her tracks. Reiatsu flared around her in nearly visible purple sparks.

"Uh…what's wrong?" Ikkaku asked as the others stopped behind her.

"Rangiku," she growled. "I just had the sudden urge to smother her in her own chest."

"That would be an anatomical impossibility," Nemu said monotonously.

_**Squad 2 Lieutenant's Barracks**_

Rangiku took another Twinkie from the opened box at the top of the pile she was carrying. Ichigo, who was carrying Tatsuki's office chair, looked over at Izuru who was being forced to carry a large box filled with what must have been about a ton of various candies and snacks they had found in Tatsuki's secret cache. Ichigo sighed as Rangiku finished the Twinkie and was about to take another from the box, smiling at the taste of the completely artificial treat.

"You do realize that what you're doing is frowned upon by society, right?" Ichigo asked.

"What are you talking about?" Rangiku asked, giving her cutest, most innocent, puppy-dog look that tended to cause Captain Hitsugaya to throw up his hands in surrender. The effect was spoiled by her subsequently eating the entire Twinkie in one bite.

"Well, you do realize that those snacks don't belong to you, right?"

"Huh?"

"I think that what Captain Kurosaki is trying to say is that this is technically stealing. No, actually this is pretty much just stealing," Izuru said.

"Aw, don't be ridiculous. That girl needs to cut back before her butt balloons. So, we're doing her a favor. Also this is payment for moving her stuff."

"But you didn't help," Izuru pointed out as he and Rangiku walked out of the office.

Ichigo knew that it wouldn't do any good to try to argue with Rangiku. He sighed as he walked into Tatsuki's actual office. It was a lot more spacious than the closet she had been using. It looked freshly dusted as well. They hadn't done that.

_I guess Sui-Feng kept it ready to be inhabited._

He remembered that Squad 5 had done something similar to him when he first became an officer. But instead of a broom cupboard, they put his office in a toilet stall. He couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of seeing the desk in front of the toilet and a small bookcase in one corner of the stall complete with a fake office plant.

Kiyone had caught the expression on his face with her camera. Even after all of these years copies of that photo were still floating around.

He set the chair down behind the desk and straightened the IN-OUT boxes that were on either ends of the desk. He looked at the spacious office trying to think of what kind of things to get to brighten up the place. He had a feeling that Tatsuki wouldn't like anything with cats on it.

He turned around to walk out of the office and nearly jumped out of his skin. Captain Sui-Feng was standing right in front of the desk, looking at him.

"Damn it, Sui-Feng, how long have you been standing there?"

"I would appreciate it if you refer to me as _Captain_ Sui-Feng, Captain Kurosaki. We may be peers, but I'm a bit strict when it comes to proper etiquette. I see that you decided to surprise Lieutenant Arisawa by putting her things where they properly belong."

"I'm surprised that you didn't tell her sooner."

Sui-Feng shrugged. He hated that high collar of hers that she used to cover her lower face. He found that it gave her an even better poker face.

"I decided it was best not to. I wouldn't want her to maim more than half of Squad 2. Plus, once she adjusted, she became far more efficient than I expected. Although…" She turned her gaze to the door. "…I don't think she would appreciate it if she found out that her friends found one of her hidden caches and plundered it without her permission."

"Yeah, well…wait…did you say, 'one of her hidden caches'? How many does she have?"

"It's hard to say. I've only found two of her caches and I suspect she has more. I haven't really performed a detailed search as it doesn't impact her performance."

"You're exaggerating. There's no way that Tatsuki is that obsessed with sweets."

Sui-Feng looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know, Captain Kurosaki?"

"Come on. I know Tatsuki well enough to know that she wouldn't horde enough sweets to feed a battalion of Yachirus."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I'm sure. I've known her since we were kids back in the World of the Living."

"I see. And…how many times have you interacted with her here, in the Soul Society?"

Ichigo was about to open his mouth to answer and stopped. The realization struck him. He had not interacted with Tatsuki as much as before because…

_…because of what happened,_ he thought.

"I've known her since we were kids," he said, able to maintain some level of confidence. "She's one of the closest friends I've ever had or ever will have. We made a promise to each other to always be friends."

Sui-Feng felt something flinch inside her. Unease grew in her at those words. She could sense their sincerity. She had known that Ichigo had some bond of friendship with Tatsuki while they lived. But she had no idea that it was that strong. Envy swelled in her at this unwelcome revelation.

"That may be, but I've been her mentor ever since she got out of the Academy more than 150 years ago. And the bond of mentor and pupil is much more powerful."

Ichigo looked at her in surprise. The raised collar hid her lower face from him, but he somehow knew that she was smirking at him. His anger flared at first, but as the fact behind her words sank in it faded. He felt an icy chill flow through his blood.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that you're nothing more than a childhood friend who only reconnected with her as an adult. From what I've seen you only interact with her slightly more than the Captains and Lieutenants you have befriended in your time in the Soul Society. What does that say about you?"

"If you're suggesting that I don't care…" Ichigo nearly snarled.

"I never said that. I know that you care for Tatsuki's well-being. But you weren't the one who helped her along the way. I did. I'm the mother who guided her into becoming the person she is today. I'm the one who helped her to replace the scared little school girl caught out of her depth with the fierce warrior she is today. What did you do, despite being given opportunities to help her in her development? You did nothing. You did nothing even while she lived and not after Aizen snuffed out her mortal life. As I understand it, you simply dropped her off at the Academy and ran off to your next escapade.

"What kind of friend would do that? Do you think that Tatsuki still sees you as being as being a _reliable_ friend, especially one at the caliber you claim to be?"

Ichigo felt her words hit him like a barrage of bricks. He was ready to deny it, but he realized that it was nothing but the naked truth. He had been a mess after the War, and there had still been so much going on. He thought that Tatsuki was safe in the Academy and focused on the aftermath and keeping the Gotei and Arrancar from starting up another war.

How many times had he ever seen her or at least made any kind of contact with her before she disappeared into Squad 2's reclusive training programs for even more decades? The answer was damning.

He remembered his visit to Orihime in Denver and felt nausea fall on him.

_Oh gods…did I drive Tatsuki away as well? Did I really isolate my closest friend to where she no longer sees me in the same light she did before? Whenever I talked with her she seemed the same, but…but what if I was only deceiving myself? I mean, I did fail Orihime and…and…I…I'm responsible for what happened that day._

Sui-Feng felt a pang of guilt when she saw Ichigo's face. She could tell that something was bothering him. But she saw him as a threat to keep her newly defined bond with Tatsuki from growing stronger. Tatsuki was the only person in her lonely life with whom she felt she could be completely honest since Yoruichi left the Soul Society.

And she was afraid that Ichigo would take her away from her. The orange-haired Captain had many connections. He was open in ways she could never hope to be with people. It wasn't fair for him to have Tatsuki as well. If he took her away then she would be all alone again.

"I know that I've been a shitty friend," Ichigo finally said. "But I know that Tatsuki…Tatsuki will never really hate me."

"I know that as well," Sui-Feng said, noting the uncertainty in his voice. "But you need to realize that the Tatsuki you know is different from the Tatsuki I know. And I know her better than you because I'm her mentor and I helped to shape her into the woman she is today. That makes my bond with her stronger than yours."

Ichigo didn't answer. Instead he walked towards the door. Sui-Feng saw the way his shoulders slumped and how his eyes could not meet hers. She did nothing to stop him. When he was gone, she sighed and looked at Tatsuki's empty desk.

_Did I go too far?_

She wished she had her "Porcupine" there to ask. But instead, she could only ask herself.

_**Squad 5 Barracks**_

Ichigo stood on the long balcony that overlooked the Southern Training Yard. The members of his squad were engaged in Kido combat drills. The wind picked up and he felt the haori move in the current. It seemed to have become heavier these days. And with Sui-Feng's words weighing down on him as well, he felt as though he was at the bottom of a deep sea, being crushed under the weight of all that water.

He shook his head, trying to free himself of that tremendous burden. All of this strange introspection reminded him of the old days when he had first gained his Shinigami powers and all of the troubles it brought.

The men and women below him were, for the most part, younger than him. He wondered when that had happened. It didn't seem that long ago that he was a reason-defying rookie, eager to rush into combat and to show off his own skills. Yet, time had passed since then and he felt much older than he should be.

_I'll have to ask Toshiro about how he handled this sensation,_ he thought.

He shook his head and focused on a boy with long brown hair trying to practice Kido. It seemed as though the only thing his Kido was doing was exploding on him. He couldn't recall the guy's name, but he was definitely like Renji when it came to Kido. But he remembered that the kid had good skills when it came to using a Zanpakuto. Ichigo was starting to consider sending him to Squad 11 for a time like Renji had been to strengthen those skills.

Still, it was clear that the kid's morale was not doing well under all of this persistent failure. The guy was kicking at the hard-packed dirt as he left the ring to the next pair of sparring partners.

_Well, I guess it's time for that patented Kurosaki touch to get him to relax,_ he thought.

Ichigo leapt over the railing and plummeted to the dirt below. He landed as though it was no big deal to jump the 30 feet and a cloud of dust rose around his feet. Several of the nearest men looked surprised at his entrance. Most of them were knocked to the ground for being so readily distracted.

"Well, I must say that wasn't exactly an honorable thing to do," Ichigo said as he looked over the scene. "I mean, knocking out an opponent when they're distracted."

"We apologize, Captain Kurosaki," the victors shouted as they bowed.

"Eh, don't worry about it. You shouldn't be narrow-minded in battle as I've told you several times. But honorable battle is what sets us apart from Hollows and other bad guys.

"Still, there is a lesson here and that is…when you're in a fight focus on the fight.

"That is unless you have civilians you also have to protect." He paused at that last. He didn't know why he had said it. He shook his head. "But that's a different matter…

"Anyways, just go ahead and get them some water," he said and pointed at the still-dazed rookies on the ground, "and carry on."

They rushed to obey his commands as he walked on. The others were more attentive to their activities as he walked between the rings. It wasn't unusual for a Captain to observe the training exercises to ensure that everything was running according to their orders. And those who had long since gotten used to his presence were not likely to get flustered and make mistakes. He figured that once they got used to him being there, watching their every move, then they would not be as likely to get distracted in an actual battle.

He saw that most of those in the Training Yard were mostly newer recruits. He could easily pick out the veterans from other units who were assisting some of the seated officers here since they were not always glancing at him from the corner of their eyes.

_The price of being a hero,_ he thought in disgust. _Still, it does have its perks._

Ichigo heard a drum being beaten from somewhere nearby and the drills stopped.

_Ah, break time,_ he thought.

The order broke down relatively quickly. Most of the recruits trailed off with their buddies, congratulating each other or launching taunts at each other. But it was bonding. He didn't repress his smile at the easy camaraderie. In fact, he encouraged it since they would have to rely on each other in a battle and that sense of camaraderie strengthened their ability to trust in each other. Others were held back to talk to the Seated Officers on various areas where they needed to improve and setting appointments for practice sessions.

"Ah, Captain Kurosaki, we did not expect you here today," his Third Seat, Minazuki, said as he walked up to him.

"Yeah, I got back from Squad 2 a bit early and decided to stop by. I guess Kiyone is still smoldering over the paperwork," he said as he looked over the balding man.

Minazuki seemed to get the message. Ichigo was going somewhere. So, he stepped aside and fell into pace beside him.

"I trust everything is to your satisfaction?"

"Yeah, they all seem to be doing well. At least the newer recruits aren't tripping over their feet whenever I'm here anymore and that's good. I wanted to talk to that long-haired guy. You know, the one who keeps blowing himself up."

"Ah, do you mean Shiba, Sir?"

"Shiba? I know Ganju doesn't have kids. When did Kukaku get married?" Ichigo asked, startled.

Minazuki cleared his throat and seemed to be thinking of what to say.

"Well…she isn't married, Sir. But the boy is hers."

"I see."

_So, he's bastard-born. That explains some things._

Ichigo knew that the Shiba Clan had been restored as nobility, but Kukaku had elected to let Ganju take the de-facto role as Clan Head. It was mostly because she preferred to live in the Rukongai instead of becoming a noble princess again. That seemed to fit her.

But she was still a noble. And a noble's bastard children were a topic that was not something to be discussed. It was especially true if the bastard-born children could end up as heirs. That was certainly the case here with Ganju still being childless.

"Well, that explains why he isn't in the Eleventh," Ichigo sighed.

Kukaku would never let any Shiba, legitimate or illegitimate, to join a Squad that spurned her beloved Kido.

_Poor Ganju,_ Ichigo thought, _not only does he have to put up with all of the ceremonial bullshit of nobility, but he's still on his sister's leash._

They reached the wooden bench that the young Shiba was sitting on, intently studying a scroll with a grim look on his face.

"Hey Shiba," Ichigo said as he walked up to the young man.

The closer he got, the more Ichigo saw that he took after his mother. He was more of a pretty boy, like Kaien must have been based on Rukia's descriptions, and had none of Ganju's cave man look. For some reason Ichigo found that surprising. He expected a woman like Kukaku to at least break the kid's nose at least once with all of her experimentations with explosives.

The kid looked up from his scroll and dropped it when he saw he was being addressed by his Captain. Ichigo could practically feel his Third Seat's desire to face-palm at the informal greeting.

_Why does everyone keep fighting my attempts to make things less formal around here?_

"I saw that you were having some trouble with Kido. Don't let it get you down. It's a great skill to have, but…" Ichigo began. He had given this kind of speech before and was used to having to give it at least three times a month.

"But you're terrible at Kido and went on to become a Captain!" the young man shouted.

This time Minazuki did perform a face-palm. Ichigo only blinked. He hadn't been expecting this.

"Uh…I guess…"

"I say the same thing to mother. The Gotei has two Captains who barely know their way around a single Kido incantation. So it can't be all that vital! But does she listen? No. She just smacks me around and calls me an idiot. She's always telling me that you're 'an idiot genius with more talent than anyone has any right to with all the skill of a blind bear.'

"HA! That's a laugh for her to say. I mean she actually had a part in your story and she doesn't even appreciate it. I tracked down some of the old guard to get firsthand accounts of the Ryoka Invasion. There weren't that many good stories though. I guess most of the good ones are already well-known.

"I have a rare account of the events written by Captain Ukitake shortly before the Winter War. But he spent way too much time talking about the repercussions of the Fake Assassination! He barely even mentioned you or any of the other Ryoka…"

On-and-on it went. Ichigo felt as though once the young Kaien got going on something he became like a dam just about to burst. The deluge of praises and complaints at how few good stories there were about Ichigo's exploits just kept coming.

_I guess it's been a while since I've encountered a…a fan boy. Now that I think about it, people like him are one reason why I had to delegate these kinds of things to others._

He looked at Minazuki for assistance, but it seemed the poor guy was in shock at the lack of protocol.

"Uh…sure…whatever…anyways, I was worried it might be…" Ichigo began, trying to take advantage of a lull in the kid's monologue. Then young Kaien picked up steam again.

_Apparently a lack of confidence doesn't seem to be an issue here. Well, I guess the Shiba eccentricity will live on after all._

"I'm not worried about letting something as silly as not being able to do Kido get me down, Sir. I'm just worried about what Mother's reaction is going to be if I can't demonstrate an improvement the next time I'm on Leave and get summoned to her. Honestly, how important can it be when you were able to kill Aizen without it?"

Ichigo felt a twinge at that. He knew he should have expected it. Everyone's praises of him always came back to that. Everything came back to the Second Aizen War and to that day when he learned that victory and defeat were often times the exact same thing for the same person. When he learned that in the end, even if they were destroyed, the monsters always won.

"I'm not saying that I'm as good as you of course. But one should model after success. I mean all the others had Kido and look what happened to them." He began to list those who either died or were seriously wounded as though dismissing them. All the while he praised Ichigo, oblivious to Ichigo's shock turn into rage.

"Captain?" Minazuki asked when he saw Ichigo's shoulder's trembling.

"I mean really, it's just a matter of fact that you…you were the best fighter in the Second Aizen War. Look at Orihime Inoue. She was absolutely worthless, despite her power. If it wasn't for you, she would have…"

That did it.

Ichigo unleashed a strong pulse of Reiatsu that knocked into the kid like a freight train. He fell backwards, gasping for air. Ichigo grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air. Rage fueled his Reiatsu, strengthening it. His Inner Hollow seemed to laugh with glee.

"CAPTAIN!" Minazuki shouted from where he laid on the ground since the burst of Reiatsu had knocked him to the ground as well.

Ichigo paid no heed. He was too focused on this young brat who didn't know what happened that day so long ago. He had dared to dismiss the others in order to make his idol look good.

"Shut the fuck up, Maggot," Ichigo snarled. "Who do you think you are to pass judgment on those who fought against Aizen's Wrath? Do you think you can dismiss them as being inconsequential because they achieved less? BECAUSE THEY DIED?"

He brought the boy's face close to his own.

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" he shouted.

The young Kaien Shiba looked frightened and was on the verge of tears.

"Every death was a loss for the Soul Society. Each sacrifice left their scars. Maggots like you cannot see them or even hope to understand them.

"I take the praises of fools as an insult. I don't revel in my shortcomings. I'm not 'Aizen's Bane'. I'm the man who failed to defeat him before he could destroy so many lives. And those lives were not restored with his death. And those of us who did survive..." He thought of Orihime and how she had made her eyes resemble Ulquiorra's, down to the very emptiness that filled his old nemesis. "Those of us who did survive never fully healed.

"I may be a fool like your wise mother thinks, but I'm smart enough to see how foolish I've been."

He tightened his grip slightly, digging his nails into the boy's throat.

"I want to rip out your fucking throat for slandering those who sacrificed themselves so little pieces of shit like you can stand here today. But I consider the Shiba Clan to be my friends," Ichigo said, lowering his voice, his anger satisfied. He lowered Kaien to where he could touch the ground and unleashed his hold. He looked at his hand, as though unable to comprehend how it had come to be wrapped around the boy's throat as the boy gagged.

"C-C-Captain…I…I…" the boy coughed as he got to his knees to bow.

"Shut up," Ichigo commanded. The softness of his voice sent a chill down the boy's spine.

The boy did as commanded and bowed so low that his forehead touched the ground. Ichigo sneered at the gesture of submission.

_Coward,_ he thought in disgust.

"I will not deal with fools like you in my Squad. I'm ordering for you to be reassigned to another Division, effective immediately."

There was an intake of breath by the nearby members of Squad 5 who had gathered to watch Ichigo chew-out this young recruit. He didn't even realize that he had an audience. He saw Kaien look up. His eyes were wide with horror and his face was pale.

Reassignment was not the same as a discharge, but it was a black mark on anyone's record. And for a member of a Noble Clan, bastard or legitimate, to be reassigned…. That made it even more serious because it could be interpreted as a Commanding Officer's unfavorable view on that Clan.

"Minazuki, see to it that the paperwork gets done. I'm going back to the office," Ichigo said.

He vanished into a flash-step. The other Squad members looked at each other uncertainly. Minazuki glared at Kaien and then focused on the others.

"BREAK'S OVER!" he barked.

That got them moving. He returned his attention to the boy still on the ground, sobbing.

"Get up, boy. You heard the Captain. There's no place in the Fifth for fool _bastards_ like you." He made sure to emphasize the word "bastard" to remind him exactly what he was.

He kicked the boy in the side of his calf and as the boy got to his feet, he gave him another kick.

_**Squad 5 Lieutenant's Office**_

Kiyone felt Ichigo coming before the door opened. As usual, her desk in the anteroom to his office was covered with papers. Her poor bonsai tree was nearly buried in it.

She stood up from her chair when he flung the door open. She planted her hands on her hips.

"WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME…" she shouted, intending to chew him out for blowing off the paper work again.

She met his eyes and her attempt to shout out his name became a choke.

He looked to her desk and grabbed the two large stacks of paper with sticky notes on the top pages with drawings of strawberries on them. He didn't say a word. Instead, he carried them in his arms and walked into his office. He slammed the door shut behind him.

Kiyone was barely able to breathe again. She collapsed back into her chair, gasping. She pulled a drawer out rather weakly and she got out a blue glass bottle from inside. She popped the cork with her thumb and drank the contents.

She was able to choke it down and managed to stumble to her feet. She staggered to the hallway door and opened it. She performed a weak flash-step that was enough to get her to the courtyard. She fell to her knees and panted.

"Gods," she whispered. "What was…was he trying to…to do? Gods damn…damn him," she gasped wiping away a tear as she took the deepest breaths she could manage.

Nanao had told her about her encounter with the old Captain-Commander. She hadn't quite believed what she told her until she felt Ichigo's Reiatsu unbound on her.

_Did the damn fool even notice? Gods, he could have killed somebody. SEVEN HELLS…HE COULD HAVE KILLED ME!_

She could sense that tremendous power calming down as she focused on it. She knew she got lucky. If it hadn't been for her sister, Isane, giving her some of her "Power Booster" she knew that she wouldn't have been able to escape that suffocating power.

"What the Hell happened, Ichigo?" she asked aloud as her breathing returned to normal. "What set you off like that?"

_**Hanging Dog**_

The streets of Hanging Dog were crowded with vendors and the civilians were buying what little they could afford. Ichigo felt a twinge of remorse as he made his way through the streets where Renji and Rukia used to live. He felt that in many ways they would have recognized it, but other things had changed.

And most of those changes he would not label as being for the better.

He had agreed to go on patrol, hoping that getting away from the Seireitei would help to calm him down. The incident involving young Kaien Shiba had upset him and he needed to find a way to clear his head. He had thought that going on patrol would help him. But as he looked at one of the recruiting posters that hung on the walls, he began to think he had made a mistake.

The poster showed Renji, or at least a glorified version of his long-dead friend, standing on top of a mountain peak with the sun behind him and a crimson hawk perched on his shoulder. His Zanpakuto in its Shikai form was pointed out ahead to a desert landscape with a crescent moon hanging over it.

"STAND FIRM AGAINST THE FOE! JOIN THE ZABIMARU SQUADS!" the poster proclaimed.

The Zabimaru Squad had made Hanging Dog their main recruiting center for the Rukongai Districts. He could not understand what Rikichi was thinking. Well…he could but it was still stupid. Most of the people who lived in Hanging Dog couldn't even perform the simplest Kido. Yet Rikichi had decided to make this part of the Rukongai into the Zabimaru Squads' official headquarters aside from their main headquarters in the Squad 6 Barracks. It was obvious that the allure of his hero's home district was too much to resist.

_He really has gone insane,_ Ichigo thought as he scanned the posters that seemed to cover the area.

"I see that Captain Rikichi and his Zabimaru Squads have done a good job in cleaning up this place," Nakamura said. "Wouldn't you agree, Captain Kurosaki?"

The Vanguard Captain had joined Ichigo for this patrol at the Captain-Commander's request. Ichigo supposed that it was meant to show that the Gotei could still work together despite the internal factionalism. Kiyone followed behind them looking rather awkward at the situation. Nakamura had decided against bringing his Lieutenant, preferring that he remained in the Seireitei to take command in case an unexpected situation arose.

_This guy takes everything too seriously. And the sad part is that he is easily one of the saner Vanguard leaders,_ Ichigo thought.

"I suppose," Ichigo answered.

"It's good to see that the masses know their place."

Ichigo looked as the people bowed in respect as they passed. He only shook his head at the meek or grudging submission to their supposed superiority.

"LOOK AT YOU!" someone shouted.

"Tch…such insolence," Nakamura grumbled.

"Are you really bowing to those who don't deserve it?" the shouter continued.

"Captain," Kiyone whispered moving closer to Ichigo.

"Don't worry. I won't lose my cool," Ichigo said as he smiled at her over his shoulder.

"Do you really think that kneeling and scraping to them will help you achieve the prosperity they've promised? How long has it been since our _beloved_ Gotei did anything to help us in our plight? Sure they mobilize when Hollows attack, but they only do that to keep their beloved Seireitei safe. They don't care about us. In all of their long history, there was only _ONE_ who tried to bring _JUSTICE_ on our behalf."

Ichigo saw the man who was speaking. He was extremely thin. His clothes were in about the same tattered condition as everybody else's. However, the way that he held himself told Ichigo that this man had been in the Gotei. But from the way he was leaning heavily on a rough walking stick, Ichigo thought that he must have been forced to leave because of an injury severe enough to keep him from doing his duties. The man stood on a trash heap leaning against a wall to get some elevation over the crowd.

Before Byakuya became Captain-Commander, he would have been put into the Maggot's Nest. But Byakuya did away with that condemnation for those who were no longer able to serve in the Gotei for whatever reason. Sadly that was still the only way to leave the Gotei aside from the Royal Guard thanks to Central 46 and the noble clans' insistence.

"Tch…another one," Nakamura whispered.

"What are you…?"

"AIZEN was the ONLY ONE who tried to do anything on our behalf! He understood the system was corrupt, rotted to the core! I am a victim of the old system, as are you all!"

Ichigo froze.

_Did…did he say…did he say "AIZEN"?_

"Captain, don't…" Kiyone pleaded.

"Have any of the Gotei tried to make our lives better? Have the new laws that the new Captain-Commander put into place done anything to clean our streets or make them safe for our children or to ensure that those who served faithfully in the Gotei will not go hungry? Has the great _Ichigo Kurosaki_ made good on _his_ promises to make sure that we are not harassed by the Gotei forces who even now take away our homes, our businesses, our families, and our pride?"

Ichigo could feel rage building in him. Nakamura looked at him from the corner of his eyes.

"This kind of talk has been on the rise," Nakamura whispered. "There are those who are saying that…"

"AIZEN SHOULD HAVE WON!" the man roared. "He was the only one of the Gotei who fought against the corruption in Central 46. When he killed the members of that corrupt organization, he declared that the time had come for the inequality and…"

"SHUT UP!" Ichigo roared, unable to restrain his anger. "Aizen was not the messiah you're making him out to be. He would have only used you…"

"Ah, here he is," the man smirked at the Captain. "Here's the _boy_ who serves as Central 46's pet puppet. Of course he would believe the lies that Central 46 spreads about Lord Aizen. He even imagined many of the crimes that…"

The man was silenced as Ichigo's fist slammed into his face. Blood and teeth flew from the man's mouth as he reeled back.

"CAPTAIN!" Kiyone screamed in horror and shock. "What are you…?"

Ichigo didn't listen. Instead he grabbed the man again and banged his head into the wall. His teeth were bared in a snarl and his fingers tightened around the man's throat.

"You fuck," he snarled. "How dare you suggest that butcher was some kind of hero? YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

Ichigo slammed the man's face into the wall. There was a crunching sound as his nose was broken. The man cried out in pain and Ichigo flung him to the ground. The crowd backed away from the scene, afraid of the young Captain.

"You fucker, you stone-brained son of a whore, Aizen was a murderer and a butcher. You didn't see him destroy everything you held dear. You didn't have to hear the screams. You didn't have to hear his laughter as everything you knew ended. YOU FUCK!" Ichigo shouted and stomped on the man's chest.

There was a louder cracking noise as his ribs broke beneath the force. The man howled in pain. Blood flowed from his mouth. Ichigo brought his foot up again, intending to bring it down on the man's throat.

Kiyone threw her whole weight to push her Captain before he could do anything. He barely kept his footing and he turned to face his Lieutenant. Rage filled his fevered mind. However, he was met with a slap to the face.

"Snap out of it, Captain. Do you really want to do this?" she pleaded.

Ichigo looked at her and then to the man who was trying to get to his feet. His eyes widened in horror as he realized what he did.

He thought about Sui-Feng's words. He thought about his encounter with young Kaien Shiba. He thought about the price paid to defeat Aizen. It was as though his long road to become the Hero had only led him to this moment. Those who praised him did not understand him. And those who loathed him did not know him.

_Beware when you fight monsters, lest you become one yourself,_ Ichigo thought as he looked at the blood.

"Oh…oh gods," he moaned. "Did I…?"

"Yeah, you did," Kiyone whispered. "I don't think Rukia would like seeing you like that."

"He…he was…"

"He was venting," Kiyone whispered as she put a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't the first time that a veteran from the Gotei has been cheated out of their pay. People who feel abandoned and betrayed will always say things they don't really mean."

"I…I…" Ichigo began.

"What's going on here?"

Ichigo turned and saw Rikichi's Ninth Seat along with members of the Zabimaru Squads coming out of one of the taverns. He looked at the crimson hawks and the silver baboon with serpent tails on their uniforms. Ichigo felt disgust rise in him at the sight of these mockeries to Renji's memory.

"Ah, Officer Kaiza," Nakamura said. "Captain Kurosaki was just teaching this filth a lesson for insulting the Gotei."

"Is that so?" the heavily-muscled Officer asked. His cold blue eyes looked at the gasping man on the ground. "What was he saying?"

"He was proclaiming treason," Nakamura continued. "He proclaimed that The Traitor was in the right and that most of his crimes were conjecture or even slander."

"Is that so?" Kaiza asked, his smile widened and his eyes became even colder. "We can't have that; now can we? We'll take over from here Sirs. There is no need for you to dirty your hands with this trash."

Nakamura nodded and looked at Ichigo motioning Ichigo to step aside with his chin. Ichigo walked over to the Captain as they moved away from the crowd gathering around the helpless man and the Zabimarus.

"You did well. Despite your unreasoning leniency in many areas, it's good to see that you have the right idea in other areas. This kind of talk has been on the rise lately among certain circles and it's been allowed to do so because certain colleagues have been soft on them." He glared at Kiyone who lowered her head.

"You should not have interfered, Lieutenant Kotetsu. Your Captain was doing his duty and defending the honor of the Gotei. The masses need to be kept in line and to do that we must treat all malcontents with a firm hand. After all, 'Fear is Power.'

"It is unfortunate that the Gotei has not been able to keep its full obligations to the discharged. But that does not excuse them for betraying every principal of the Gotei. Their status as veterans makes their actions all the more reprehensible compared to the ignorant Pluses. By endorsing Aizen they spit upon on all of their former comrades, including you, Lieutenant Kotetsu, and all of those who fell during Aizen's Wrath."

Kiyone didn't say anything to Nakamura's words. She looked at her Captain and saw that he was looking at the blood on his hands.

"Out…out damn spot," he whispered.

"Watch and learn how one deals with dissent and betrayal in their own backyard," Nakamura said.

Two of the Zabimarus dragged the man to his feet. One held his mouth open with a thick-gloved hand. Another of the Zabimarus approached with a pair of tongs and a knife. The man glared in defiance, but the Zabimarus only laughed. The Zabimaru pinched the man's tongue with the tongs and pulled it out as far as it would extend. In one swift motion, he cut off the tongue.

"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL WHO DARE SPEAK TREASON AGAINST THE SOUL SOCIETY!" the Zabimaru proclaimed as he held the muscle up for all to see.

The people who were watching this display only remained silent. Ichigo saw that they were trembling in fear. But there were those who trembled, but he did not see fear in their eyes. Those eyes, while averted, were filled with hatred at this display. He looked to where Kaiza had commandeered a length of rope and was now draping it over a thick beam. The Zabimarus were now stripping their victim of his clothes.

Ichigo let out an involuntary hiss as he saw a Gotei tattoo on the man's chest. It was the snowdrop of Squad 13 in a maroon diamond.

_Oh gods…what if Rukia knew this man?_

The sight of the tattoo did not cause any of the Zabimarus to stop for a moment.

"Fucking traitor," one of them hissed and used his knife to cut the patch of skin with the tattoo off. The man coughed blood in what may have been a cry. But it was hard to tell with the mess he had so quickly become.

"Come, Captain Kurosaki," Nakamura said. "There's no need for us to remain here. We still have a patrol to complete."

Ichigo couldn't move or answer. Instead, he watched as the rope was tied around the man's wrists. He saw two of the Zabimarus collecting belts of leather or rope to use as makeshift whips. He turned away and did not watch as the man was hoisted above the ground. He looked at a young man in the crowd who glared at him, eyes full of hatred. Ichigo couldn't stand that look and turned his eyes away.

_Those who sing my praises don't understand me. And those who hate me don't know me,_ Ichigo thought sadly.

He couldn't intervene without going against Byakuya's will. And confronting Nakamura in front of everyone here would do no good. The Captain's words had supported his own actions. He knew that blaming his Inner Hollow would only be lying to himself for the creature had not taken control. It had all been him. He had willingly nearly beaten a helpless man to death.

_I can make amends,_ he thought. _I can intervene. To Hell with Byakuya's orders, I can stop this._

Then that cry for help rose from the depths of his memories, accompanied by that hateful grin.

He clenched his fists at the memory. Did he really want to pay the price for helping a man who spoke in favor of Aizen for whatever reason? He was caught between his wish to do the right thing and his hatred of Aizen and anyone supporting him. He had never thought that the two could ever come to odds against each other. When had it become so complicated?

_I only did what I thought was right,_ he thought as he walked away. Behind him he could hear the sounds of flesh being beaten with rope and leather. He looked at the blood on his hands again and remembered how bloody Aizen's hands were that day. _Am I even more evil than Aizen now?_

_**Captain-Commander's Office**_

"So, Captain Kurosaki over-reacted again," Byakuya said as he read the report.

"He was lucky that his Lieutenant intervened. Otherwise he could be facing more serious charges," Toshiro said.

"He wouldn't. The Law does not extend freedom of speech to treason. The former Soul Reaper broke the Law and we cannot condemn Kurosaki for upholding it or Nakamura for standing by and doing nothing. He'll still be disciplined for this, even if only for exceeding his bounds by excessive punishment. He should not have treated that man the way he did."

"I know he went against Gotei standards, but I can't say that I blame him Sir. The man was essentially endorsing Aizen's actions. Would you have been able to stand by if you went through the things that Captain Kurosaki did?"

Byakuya looked at Toshiro and put the report down on his desk.

"I would have found it rather difficult. But I would keep the present situation in mind. By lashing out like that he has essentially widened the gap between the Seireitei and the Rukongai. There will be more talk that Aizen was in the right and Ichigo's action will be seen as evidence of abuse of power in the Gotei. And the Zabimarus…" He grimaced. "Those involved in the lynching should have been severely punished. And they would have been if Central 46 hadn't gotten involved.

"The Zabimarus are, unfortunately, not under my direct command. As such, Central 46 can limit my ability to control them. And Rikichi will do everything he can to keep Kaiza from receiving his proper punishment. And that includes whining to Central 46."

"I was wondering about that," Toshiro said. "It seems that The Vanguard, or at least the Zabimarus, have received a lot of support from Central 46 lately."

"Of course they would," Byakuya said and sighed. He sat back in his chair and rubbed his forehead. "They undermine my authority. Central 46 loves them for that if nothing else. Captain Hitsugaya, how did things end up like this?"

Toshiro had never seen Byakuya look so tired. It was as though the weight of Duty and being Captain-Commander was finally taking its toll on the otherwise stern Captain.

"I…don't know. But it seems as though nothing's been the same since Captain-Commander Yamamoto died," he replied.

Byakuya nodded. He knew all-too-well that he did not measure up to the legacy handed down to him. He knew that the old Captain-Commander would not have allowed things to come to this point. But his death had been more devastating than he could have imagined.

At first he was glad that Yamamoto had at least died peacefully, as he knew the old man had wanted. He knew that the weight of certain decisions burdened the old man towards the end. But every decision he had made were made with the best interest of the Soul Society in mind and that included one of the last ones.

Byakuya had a feeling that decision was what helped bring about the rift between the Gotei and Central 46. But it had to be done. Otherwise Central 46 would have opened up a Pandora's Box of devastating consequences against the Soul Society. For all of his detractors' wailing, that had been Yamamoto's career: unleashing atrocities in order to keep even greater tragedies at bay.

_And I played a part in it,_ he thought bitterly. _I must carry that burden, but I must bear it alone. And he knew that I could bear it. Otherwise he wouldn't have asked me to help him carry it out._

"Sir, are you alright?"

Byakuya looked up and saw that Toshiro was looking at him with concern. His drift into the memory must have been clearer than he had thought.

"I was just thinking." He picked up the report and nodded. "We'll send the proper compensation to the man's family. I want the ring-leaders of that lynch mob brought in to stand trial, regardless of Central 46's decision. Captain Nakamura and Captain Kurosaki will be put on suspension until further notice. We'll tell anyone who asks that they're on Medical Leave and I want the proper paperwork to be sent to Captain Unohana for her signature. I'll have some of my personal guards keep an eye on them. Now, if that is all…"

"Actually, Sir, I…I do have one thing more. But…you know…I'm sure it can wait."

Byakuya looked up at Toshiro. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the young Captain. He noticed that Toshiro was fidgeting at his Zanpakuto and running one hand through his hair. He only did that when he had something very serious to discuss. Even the young Captain's eyes were moving about in a manner that was unnatural to his somber disposition. That made Byakuya uneasy.

_The last thing I need is for something more serious than what happened earlier to have occurred,_ he thought.

"Something tells me that you may want to discuss whatever it is, now."

"Well, you see Sir, I…I was wondering if…if I…If I…"

"If this is about me assisting you with getting Lieutenant Matsumoto out of your home then I must remind you that your 'Matsumoto problem' is none of my concern."

"Actually Sir, it's…it's to do with Seventh Seat Izumi Kuchiki."

Byakuya was taken aback by that, but he maintained his calm demeanor.

"What do you have to discuss with me about Seventh Seat Kuchiki?"

"It's more to do with her being a member of your clan. Well, we…we got to talking about it and…and I…" Toshiro took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He looked at the Captain-Commander straight in the eyes. He hoped that Byakuya wouldn't kill him for what he was about to say. "I would like your blessing to start courting her."

Byakuya looked at Toshiro with an expertly schooled expression. He then focused his attention to the office door. He frowned slightly and turned his attention back to Toshiro.

"I'll say this loudly enough so that both of you can hear it," he said calmly. Toshiro swallowed hard and the door creaked under a weight. The silence dragged on for what seemed like an eternity before Byakuya sighed. "I'll think about it."

"WHAT'S THERE TO THINK ABOUT?" Izumi shouted from the other side of the door. "IT'S A SIMPLE REQUEST! Lord Byakuya," she finished in an annoyed tone.

Byakuya closed his eyes, already feeling another headache coming on.

_At least Hitsugaya had the decency to ask first,_ he thought.

He remembered how he found out that Rukia and Ichigo were in a relationship. He had honestly thought that an intruder had entered his house and was hurting Rukia. He had unleashed Senbonzakura's fully fury when he realized what all of the noise he heard was. Of course, he told an extremely pissed-off Rukia that he had unleashed his Zanpakuto when he still thought it was a burglar.

After more than 150 years, Ichigo was still paying off the bill.

_**Squad 4 Barracks**_

Rikichi hated visiting the Squad 4 Barracks. Most assumed that it was because he had the same mind as Squad 11 in that he abhorred their general weakness and their Captain's brazen "Dove" stance on most issues. Those were part of it, but the main reason was one of the few secrets he kept well. The reason he hated coming here was something far worse in his mind. The moment he stepped into this territory, he felt less like a Captain of the Gotei and Commander of the Zabimarus and more like the weakling who had spent too many times on a patient's mat here.

The nurses clad in their pink or pale blue uniforms as well as the healers dressed in black made way for him and bowed. He was pleased at their anxiety. He knew that they could feel his anxiety in the Reiatsu he was purposefully leaking. It wasn't enough for official censure but it was enough to remind them that he could squash them like the pathetic insects they were.

It was bad enough that his fellow Captains looked down on him. He tolerated it only because they were his fellow Captains. But he would not tolerate lesser Soul Reapers to look down on him.

At last he reached the desk where the "Silver Mouse" was waiting, fretful as ever. Despite the serene wall hangings throughout her open office that showed scenes of her precious cranes, the Fourth's Lieutenant was still worried as she sorted through the papers. To make things worse, she was oblivious to his presence.

"Lieutenant Amano," he barked as he stepped up to her desk. Isane Amano practically jumped out of her chair.

"Oh…Captain Rikichi," Isane said as she started picking up some of the papers she had scattered on the floor in her shock. "I'm sorry. Things have been very busy around here and we needed to help that poor man who was attacked earlier in Hanging Dog."

"I assume you're talking about the traitor," Rikichi nearly snarled.

"I…I don't know about that. I only…I only know that he was someone who needed immediate treatment."

_You should have let that animal die,_ Rikichi thought. _If it were up to me, you would never have treated him._

"Anyways, Captain Unohana is waiting for you in her office. I'll just let her know you're…"

"There will be no need for that." He frowned at the door to the Captain's office. "I have a feeling that she already knows I'm here."

Isane was about to protest, but Rikichi did not have the patience to hear the protests of an Officer who was willing to degrade herself by marrying a mere Plus. Instead he went to the door and opened it. He saw that Unohana was already at the low table, pouring tea from the kettle into one of the ornate tea cups.

"Good afternoon, Captain Rikichi," Unohana said placidly. "Please, join me for some tea."

"I'm sorry Captain, I tried to get him to wait for me to announce him, but he…"

"That's quite alright, Isane. I'm sure that Captain Rikichi did not mean any disrespect by it. Isn't that right?" she asked, giving Rikichi her _other_ smile.

Rikichi swallowed hard and nodded. He loathed this woman. She was one of the very few who was always able to put him on his guard. And whenever she gave _that_ smile…. He always found himself afraid that she was preparing to bite his head off.

_Damn it, pull yourself together. You're not that pathetic little weakling anymore. You're better than allowing this disgrace of a Captain to make you afraid. You're head of the Zabimaru Squads. So act like it._

Rikichi regained his composure.

"I apologize if I made Lieutenant Amano think I was insulting her."

"Oh…that's…that's alright," Isane said. "Uh…can I get you anything, Captain?"

"I think that we will be fine. Thank you, Isane."

Isane bowed and walked out of the office. She closed the door behind her.

Rikichi's brow furrowed.

"Are you sure it is proper for a Captain to treat their subordinate with such familiarity?"

"I believe that Captain Sui-Feng has lectured you on the matter enough times already," Unohana said. "So, I will not repeat her lecture. Please, have a seat."

She gestured to the cushion across from her. He scowled a little at that, but decided not to argue. He sat down and picked up the cup of tea.

"I'm sure that you didn't invite me here just for tea."

Unohana took a sip from her own cup and looked at Rikichi. Her eyes were stern. A chill went down Rikichi's spine, but he made sure not to show any discomfort.

"That's right. I wanted to discuss the matter of today's incident in Hanging Dog with you."

"I see. In that case, you should know that I had nothing to do with it. The men responsible have already been dealt with. But they were young and they were overly-zealous. What that man said was worse than anything they could have done. If that man had died then it would have been justified. He was speaking treason."

"I believe that he was the one who felt betrayed. This isn't the first time that Central 46 made promises to our veterans only to turn their backs on them when they needed help. It only makes sense that people would say such things. But what your young…recruits did was inexcusable. They have only made the situation worse because they have added credence to many of their views."

"It's nothing that a major crack-down can't fix. Captain Unohana, you think that the masses can be governed solely by love. However, by showing love to the masses, you are showing weakness. The best tool to use to keep the masses in line is awe. Inspire them with a display of might and give them a reason to fear you. That is why the Zabimarus have been able to make districts like Hanging Dog and Zaraki safe. We show the masses that we are a force to be reckoned with."

Unohana looked at him.

"How many incidents like the one that took place this afternoon have occurred that we don't know about?"

Rikichi smiled and sipped at his tea.

"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that one. But what does it matter? These incidents will go a long way to cure the poison that Aizen left behind and that _certain parties_ have allowed to fester."

Unohana looked at Rikichi. She saw that he was serious. He honestly believed that what he was doing was helping the Gotei and the Soul Society. But he didn't understand that what he was doing could have serious repercussions. And that was what made him dangerous.

"Did you know, Captain Rikichi, that healing is the most difficult school of Kido?"

"Yes. That's why the Fourth was established. It was their purpose to specialize in it just as Squad 12 was with research and development."

"Have you ever wondered why?"

"I'm sorry but I…I don't understand what you mean."

The smile that Unohana gave him wasn't frightening. But Rikichi found that he almost preferred her _other_ smile compared to what he saw.

"I suppose you wouldn't understand.

"Healing Kido is the most difficult to use because they are meant to mend. It is much easier to destroy and to bind than it is to mend something that is broken."

"Is that so? I'm surprised at you Captain Unohana. You act as though your Squad is not full of the chafe of the Gotei. Your Squad is nothing more than a collection of weaklings and cowards who were not deemed fit to serve on the front lines with honor.

"If you had not shackled yourself here you would have been named Captain-Commander."

"I know. I have apologized to Captain-Commander Kuchiki for that. I worry that the mantle will weigh him down like it did Yamamoto. Leadership is a heavy burden," she sighed before sipping her tea.

"For the weak, duty may be a burden. But I relish in the role of leadership. I have never felt more alive than I do whenever I am with my Squad or leading the Zabimarus and witnessing my will become reality." He smiled at her.

Unohana restrained a deeper sigh at his unknowing confession. He could revel in his power because it wasn't a burden to him. She believed that he truly did not grasp the potential consequences of his authority. She could not bring herself to believe that he did understand the consequences and simply didn't care.

"Is there anything else Captain? I really don't have the time to waste with tea these days."

"Just one more thing," Unohana said. "There is an old proverb that I would advise that you keep in mind. 'Those who know how to mend best know how to un-mend best.'"

This time, she allowed her smile to show a bit of her teeth. It was just a moment, but it was enough to make him nearly drop the porcelain cup.

He could feel her Reiatsu. It was all around him and crawling on him. He hadn't even noticed its weight. He realized that the hand he was trying to drift nonchalantly to the hilt of his Zanpakuto was sluggish. Unohana glanced to the offending hand and her smile slowly vanished into a neutral expression.

The Reiatsu rolled back from him to return to its mistress who seemed to do this with very little effort.

"I would advise that you remember that I will be very interested if I hear more incidents occur," she said cheerily, her eyes closed.

He left his tea cup half full as he got up.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," he said coldly. His fingernails dug into his palms. "Good day, Captain Unohana."

He turned and walked out of her office. He slammed the door shut behind him. Isane looked up from her desk, surprised but not afraid. He was tempted to snarl at her. He wanted to make her afraid of him.

_Fear is Power,_ he thought bitterly. _Fear is Power._

And Captain Retsu Unohana had made him afraid.

As he made his way back to his own barracks he thought about that look of sorrow and sympathy in that disgraceful Captain's eyes. Those eyes troubled him more than the smile that showed the elder Captain's teeth. He felt his hatred of the woman grow. He had felt as helpless and scared as he had been when he was still taking care of Squad 6's Hell Butterflies. And he hated her for that.

_**Memorial Hill**_

A cloud of dust rose around the ornately crafted glass as Ichigo set the vase down before the monument to the lost on top of Memorial Hill. He fiddled with the assortment of bright flowers, vainly wanting them to be perfect. Their favorite blossoms were well-represented, except for his. Ichigo had never known what kind of flowers he preferred.

If he had ever asked, the Old Goat would have probably waved off the question and deem it to be too unmanly to be worthy of a response. Ichigo pulled out the pack of Gold Medallions he had purchased years ago and pulled one out. He took out the little-used dragon lighter he had received as a gift for his promotion from Rukia and lit the cigarette. He took a single drag on it and coughed at the foul tasting smoke. He set the lit cigarette in front of the flowers as though it was an incense stick.

He stood up and ran a hand over three of the many names carved into the cold stone, each on top of the other. Those names were his scars. They were the scars that he had been so focused on that he ignored the scars that his friends had, especially Orihime. His heroics had brought her nothing but suffering and he had not taken responsibility to try to help her recover because he had been so focused on his own grief and believed that he had to endure it alone. In trying to keep his friends from harm, he had ended up causing harm to them. He felt the tears on his face as he traced the names with his fingertips.

"I failed you. I wish there was another way I could say it, but I can't. All I can do is pray that someone out there gave you what you deserved and what I couldn't. And hold this memory close to my heart, so that I never forget the cost," he whispered, praying to the departed and those who were still alive.

"You know, for a second you looked kinda cool smoking like that," a voice said sarcastically.

Ichigo hissed in a breath and turned to see who had intruded. He was surprised, even though he knew he should have expected it, to see Izumi Kuchiki walking up to him. He glanced around and saw that Byakuya's personal squad of clan guardsmen were taking up positions to ensure some kind of privacy.

"I don't think even Captain Kira comes here every year, and he's the most depressing of you Captains."

When she got closer, Ichigo stepped aside to allow her to inspect the names. She looked at them and then at the flowers and cigarette.

"I can understand the flowers, but why the cancer-stick?" she asked.

Ichigo paused thinking about it before answering.

"My dad did it when he visited my mother's grave. He said that she thought it made him look cool," he said somberly.

He saw that the look of irritation she had been wearing slip away to reveal the softness in her eyes for a moment. She turned to look at him.

"You take after him."

"Why are you here, Izumi?"

The softness vanished. Her eyes were hard again, but with anger this time. She traced the scar that ran down the left side of her face from hairline to just below the dark lavender eye.

"I have as much right as you to come here, Ichigo."

"As I recall, you weren't even adopted into the Kuchiki clan before the last name was carved onto this stone," he reminded her coolly.

She scowled at him and then looked back at the names.

"Yeah, even though it was a close thing. I was discovered and sponsored not long after the Second Aizen War wrapped up, wasn't I? I guess I owe Rukia and Byakuya a lot, don't I?"

He didn't bother to answer as he looked back at the monument.

She stomped on the cigarette and glared at him. He only glanced at her sadly.

"You know why I hate this thing? To others, it's just a reminder of a couple of wars, or at least Aizen and all he was. But to me, it's a symbol of how much of a self-righteous coward you are, Ichigo Kurosaki," she spat as she ground the cigarette into the dust.

"I did what I had to do. I hoped that you would come to see that. But you can hate me if you like, Izumi Kuchiki," he answered tonelessly.

"You…idiot," Izumi growled and kicked him in the shin. Ichigo only looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. She growled as she drew back her leg. "You never change. You always have your eyes on the dead. First it was your mother. Then it's them. Will it be Rukia now? Damn you, Ichigo. What gives you the right?" She grabbed a handful of his haori. "Answer me. What gives you the right?"

Ichigo shook his head. Izumi didn't resist as he brushed her hands away from him. His eyes met her own.

"I do what I have to, Izumi. I do what I have to in order protect those dear to me."

"Does that mean that you have to lose the living to the dead as well? But I was a bigger fool for letting you do it. Why do I even bother? Hmm…well…aren't you going to answer me? Why should I even bother anymore? Answer me, you fucking coward."

Ichigo looked into her mismatched eyes.

"It's the only thing I have ever asked of you, Izumi. And it will be the last. You have your life. Make the most of it," he told her as he turned his back on her.

"Don't try and play yourself as the self-sacrificing hero Kurosaki. If you're not a coward, then say my name. No one's listening. SO SAY MY NAME GODS DAMN YOU!" she shouted at his retreating back.

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her. Her eyes widened hopefully

"Later…Officer Kuchiki."

Without another word, Ichigo walked the path down the hill.

The dark-haired girl watched him go. She wiped away an invisible tear with the back of her hand. She wanted to curse at him. She wanted to hit him. But most of all, she just wanted to cry. She turned around to the Memorial. Her eyes landed on one of the names Ichigo had been looking at. Her jaw tightened. Without raising her Reiatsu, she lashed out, punching the name. Her knuckles scraped on the stony surface. She pulled her fist back, leaving drops of blood on the stone. She glared at the sight and only reached out to wipe the blood away when a trickle of blood nearly reached the name below it.

"You're only supposed to leave flowers for the dead," she whispered.

She knelt to the ground and righted the crushed cigarette as best she could. It was a fairly vain effort. She straightened and sighed as she took another look at the stone monument devoted to the dead. She turned away from it.

_I will not live my life in the past,_ she thought. _I will not be like Ichigo. I will not allow my life to be governed by the dead. I will live my life the way I chose to._

She walked away from the Memorial, braid swinging behind her.

_I will not become a ghost._

_**Mexico**_

The sound of guitar music filled the common room of the Taberna de la Rosa. The atmosphere was subdued as men nursed their drinks or ate their meals. The bartender stood behind the counter, cleaning a glass with a damp cloth. Her hair hung down in twin tails about her shoulders. Her dark eyes shifted to keep a wary watch on the patrons.

The door swung open. A gentle gust of the night wind blew in. Ophelia watched as a man dressed in a casual gray suit walked in. Her eyes widened with surprise and she nearly dropped the glass when she recognized him. It was Señor Sado's visitor from before.

She looked to the corner table where Sado sat, playing his guitar. He stopped playing when he noticed the man. He raised one hand as he leaned the guitar against the wall. Ichigo raised his own hand in return and made his way to the table. With the music's spell broken, the patrons began to mutter amongst themselves again. The new song of tinkling glass and silverware on plates filled the room.

Ophelia noted how the men she knew to be mundane were noticing the man. Señor Sado had told her of the fake bodies that the dead used to walk among the living. But she had not truly believed it until now.

She frowned when she realized that there was something different about him. At first she couldn't quite put her finger on it and then it came to her.

_His Spirit Levels are lower than before. Could it be that the false flesh is concealing most of that power? Or could it be…could it be that most of that power wasn't even his?_ That thought set her instincts off in a way she didn't much care for. _Either way, the last time his Spirit was…_

_ His Spirit would be too much to even devour,_ her Inner Devil whispered to her.

_Oh be quiet,_ she thought back at it. Suppressing that Inner Devil had become easy for her to do thanks to the years of practice she and others like her had with Señor Sado.

She looked up again and saw that her teacher was looking at her with two fingers raised. She put the glass she had been cleaning on the back-counter and grabbed two bottles of beer from the refrigerator. She allowed a small amount of Reiatsu to pulse from her thumbs, enough to help pop the caps with ease.

As she made her way to the table, she allowed a small bit of Reiatsu to flow into her ears, heightening her sense of hearing. This was a small trick she learned by herself to help her eavesdrop on conversations. She didn't feel right keeping it a secret from her teacher, but she felt that it wasn't doing any real harm and was not worth mentioning.

"...me on medical leave. I guess it's so they don't have to actually make an inquiry. But…after what happened…an inquiry may be what I need," Ichigo said. His hands were folded on the table in front of him.

"The World of the Living has enough problems without the Soul Society's spilling over. And you're the best man to keep that from happening. All that you have to do is ask," Chad answered as he took the bottle Ophelia offered him. Ichigo let her place his on the table. She gave a slight nod and started to walk away.

"I know, but…"

"You need to get your mind off things. But I know there's only one way you can do that.

"Ophelia, tomorrow I would like you to show Ichigo what you can do."

Ophelia stopped in her tracks. Ichigo noticed that a hand was reflexively reaching for her hair for some reason. She stopped the wayward hand and lowered it. She turned to look at Ichigo from the corner of one brown eye.

"I'll only do it if he spars with me. I don't do demos."

"That's what I had in mind," Chad replied. Ophelia sighed.

"Fine, but if he decides not to spar with me…"

"He will."

"Then I don't have a problem," Ophelia said as she turned to walk back behind the bar. Chad sighed and gave a small shake of his head.

"How is this going to help me relax?"

"Ichigo, the only way you can relax is if you're being active. Trust me, sparring with her will help you unwind. Also, I think you may find Ophelia to be rather…interesting."

"Whatever you say," Ichigo whispered and took a swig of his beer. "But…I don't know. I wish…sometimes I wish we were back in the old days, when I didn't feel this tremendous weight on my shoulders."

"I know what you mean. But living in the past is the worst thing you can do."

Ichigo sighed. He looked at his old friend and Chad saw that the confidence they once held had long since been replaced with sorrow and shame.

_This must be what happens to all of the old heroes when their times have long passed,_ he thought. _They die by being consumed by their own myth. And songs of glory become nothing more than a requiem._

"I know," Ichigo whispered. He drank from the bottle again. Chad noticed that Ichigo could not look at him in the eye. "I know."

**End of Chapter 6**

**A.N.: Thank you for reading and please review.**


	8. Chapter 7: The First Pieces

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 7: The First Pieces**

Tatsuki lay on the sand, wrapped up in her blanket. She had made the mistake early on this expedition to lie on her back so that she could look up into the sky. There was no comforting spread of stars to look down on her. She had never really appreciated the stars in a real night sky until she had stared up into the abyss that was Hueco Mundo's empty heavens. She had stared up into it too long and a sense of vertigo had taken over. She had felt as though she was going to fall into that vast void.

She had tried to look at the moon instead. But it only made her hungry and so she had stopped.

Now, she was content to just lie on her side. She looked out over the sands as far as the dunes allowed her to see. It only made her feel alone. There was no real comfort in this world.

_How long has it been since I slept?_

She didn't know.

She could force herself to sleep, but it was not the same as natural sleep.

Octavia was far behind them, but the memories of it came to the forefront of her mind whenever she tried to rest.

_Poor, poor Maki-Maki,_ she thought. _Not even Aizen would deserve to be reduced to that state._

_Yes, but…he would still be suffering if you had your way,_ a voice from the darkest part of her mind replied.

_But it was a matter of duty. I didn't think I had any other choice. If an alarm had sounded, then we would have ended up on an operating table ourselves. Then what? Sometimes, we have to do things we don't want for the greater good._

She tried to rest again. But then the image of that…woman (Flesh-Tank) came to her mind. It was just WRONG. And it had struck her in such a way that she was reduced to a crying little girl. Nothing had done that since it had sunk in that Karakura Town was really gone and all her friends, save for those who had been in that room with her, were dead. And then _he_ had come like a wraith in all of its terrible glory.

In the end, she had been able to do nothing but die at Aizen's hands. That was all she could do when everything she loved was one the line: be squashed like an insignificant insect. The thing was, she couldn't quite remember how she died. The last thing she remembered was the hand grabbing her by the nape of her neck and someone shouting _"NO!"_ And then she felt something slicing through her and her life fading as her blood poured onto the ruins.

_No, I can't think of that right now. I need to try to get some sleep before I become too exhausted to be any use._

That was the problem. If she slept she dreamed. And her dreams had long since become unpleasant things, filled with memories of fire and blood.

She was forced out of these thoughts when her stomach rumbled. She grimaced in annoyance. She had already eaten some of the apples, they were reluctant about eating the dried Hollow meat they got from Octavia, but apparently her stomach hadn't gotten the memo. Either that or her stomach was craving for something a bit sweeter.

_Damn you Yachiru. I could really go for some candy right now._

"Commander, there is a Hollow approaching," Nemu said from where she was keeping watch.

Tatsuki jumped to her feet and drew her sword well before the boys could get to their feet. She looked in the direction that Nemu was pointing and grinned.

_Finally, a problem I can solve with a sword._

The creature was raising a sand cloud as it approached. It was about the size of a city bus with four thick legs and a head that took up the entire front section. She noticed that there was a vertical slit running down its chin, and figured that it most likely had three jaws. When the mouth opened, she saw that the mouth was wide enough to swallow a small car. Small serpent-like creatures squirmed in its mouth.

_Huh, it's like one of those creatures in that movie…uh…_Aftershocks_ or was it _Tremors_? Eh…who cares?_

Its roar shook the sands. Tatsuki grinned at it, showing her teeth as she walked to meet up.

The creature roared again and rushed at her. Tatsuki smiled and leapt into the air.

Two of the snake-like things in the creature's mouth reached for her, but she easily dodged them. Her sword glimmered as it cut through the things' leather-like skin. The creature roared in pain and rage. It stretched its body as far as it could and the third snake-like thing came at her, spitting out a thick substance.

"Gross, didn't your mother teach you any manners?" Tatsuki inquired as she dodged the goo. "It's impolite to spit at people."

She landed on the creature's back. She smirked, thinking that this thing wouldn't be able to get her now. That was when something wrapped around her ankle. She let out a cry of surprise as she fell and felt herself being dragged. She looked ahead and saw that there was another mouth in the middle of the creature with more of those snake-like things writhing to wrap around her.

"There's no way…in Hell…I'm gonna become a…a…TENTACLE RAPE VICTIM!" she cried out and sliced the thing wrapped around her.

The creature roared from both mouths. Tatsuki's fury rose in her and her Reiatsu increased. The creature felt it and she could sense fear and rage radiating from it. She was glad for that.

"Nobody touches…THE DRAGON!" she roared.

Tatsuki dug her sword into the creature's flesh and allowed herself to drop, dragging the sword down the creature's side behind her. She was instantly covered in black blood and juices from whatever organs her sword's blade cut through. The creature roared in pain. She noticed that other mouths were beginning to open from its side with the snake-like tentacles trying to grab at her, but she would not allow it.

"CERO!" she roared.

A beam of crimson Reiatsu shot out from the tips of her forefinger and middle finger and into one of the side mouths. The result was that now she was covered in burning flesh as well as blood and juices. The creature went into its death spasms while Tatsuki clutched to her sword tightly. It began to roll on the sand, fortunately for Tatsuki it rolled towards its left while she was on its right. As a result, the combination of Tatsuki weight and the pull of gravity caused her to cut the creature in half. While the front part continued to roll, the bottom part was still.

It took the front part another few feet before it processed that it was dead. Then that part too became still. Blood, organs, and more of those snake-like tentacles came spilling out of the ruined halves. The tentacles squirmed a bit before becoming completely still.

Tatsuki stepped to the nearest half of the Hollow's corpse. She kicked one of the limp tentacles aside and looked inside the gaping cavity. She was surprised that, aside from the organs and the tentacles, there was little else inside. Then, for some reason that she didn't understand, she reached inside the cavity and pulled out a strip of one of the creature's muscles. She held it in her hand and looked at it.

Her stomach growled loudly at the pungent aroma. Her mouth began to water and she felt her mouth open a little.

Then she threw the piece of flesh to the ground. She stared at it in disgust.

"That's not food," she muttered as she began to stomp it into the sand.

"Hey, Kurotsuchi, whar are you doing?" Ikkaku called out with a snide tone to his voice.

Tatsuki looked away from the part of the corpse and saw Nemu tearing off bits from the Hollow's various parts, including the tentacles.

"Hmm…fascinating," Nemu said. "Master Mayuri will be very interested in these samples."

"Tch…Squad 12," Ikkaku muttered as he rolled his eyes.

_**Nemu Kurotsuchi**_

Nemu kept an eye on the other three. They were currently packing up their things while allowing Nemu to gather samples in private. She put a hand to her grumbling stomach, curious about this new sensation. She used her hand to tear a bit of the Hollow's physical heart out. She looked at the bit of muscle and was about to put it in one of her sample bags when her stomach grumbled louder.

She looked at the piece of flesh again and brought it to her nose. She sniffed at it and her mouth began to water.

_What is this sensation? Is this what some of the others refer to as "hunger"?_

She cocked her head the side. Before, "hunger" had been nothing more than a thought that came when she realized she needed more food. It had not really been anything physical with her.

_If this is hunger then there's only one way to cure it._

She opened her mouth and popped the bit of meat into it. She began to chew and swallowed. Her hunger was abated somewhat, but she still felt the need for more of that raw, bloody meat.

And she obeyed that craving.

_**Wind Song Fortress, Holy Luisenbarn Empire**_

A sharp wind blew along the walls ringing the white dome. There was a nearly musical quality as the wind whipped through the ornamental parapets and the gargoyles decorating the walls. Fierce visages of nightmare born of demons and of Soul Reapers whose likeness had been passed down through generations of storytelling.

Normally when the wind sang like this the inhabitants would be under the dome to take refuge from the fierce night winds. The only ones who would be outside the dome's protection would be the guards who kept their vigil or those seeking the solitude of the howling night. However, this was not the case as this wind sang. Nearly the entire populace of the fortress gathered in ranks outside. Murmurs of excitement rose from nobles and knights in their white robes or armor, to the lowly peasants dressed in their commoner grays.

Over the sole gate breaching the bristling ring of the wall stood a statue of Yamamoto, the Devil of Heaven himself. His sword of stone flame was raised as if to call down the fires of legend on the People of the Broken Mask. Next to the fearsome statue a tall Arrancar stood. His back was straight even as the wind pulled about his clothes and hair.

His hair was short and purple. The goatee seemed to match is harshly pointed features. His mask fragment was a row of four horns across his brow. Sharp eyes stared unblinking into the wind. His attire was not far removed from the other fine whites and furs except for the sigil on his left breast. It showed a great bird with wings of blades and a helmeted skull-like head encased in a purple and gold triangle.

He watched the procession approach and felt the mind behind the Reiatsu carried on the wind fall upon him. In a nod of acknowledgement he vanished in a burst of Sonído.

The purple-haired lord appeared before the three gowned women that were his mates. They dipped in nervous curtseys and he sent a soft Pesquisa to soothe them. His male kin stood at his right side, their own women behind them. His female kin stood at his left with their men behind them. The sworn swords waited behind the clan, pride long swallowed they still held their dignity even behind those who submit.

Turning fully, he regarded the peasants, unable to avoid picking out the weaklings who shared his blood. They were healthy and in good order. It was as it should be.

His household was presentable as he had known it would be. There was no haste to cover neglect for he neglected nothing.

_So why should I be imposed upon? The Godking rarely comes here,_ he thought.

He turned back to face the gate. His eyes drifted to the words engraved over the gate. All of his clan who dwelled here were to look on it before heading out into the world. This was to ensure that they remembered who they were.

"OUR WORD IS IRON" the words etched in stone proclaimed. It was all of the glory and sorrow of his house summed up into four words. He saw it less a boast and more of a confession since the days of his lost youth. And the more he had heard of his house's history, the more he had come to believe the words to also be a warning.

_Just as iron can cut your foe and your own throat, so too can oaths and honor strengthen and destroy a household,_ he thought.

He turned his attention forward.

The great palanquin draped in purple filled the gate and for a horrifying moment, he was worried that it may not pass through. Thankfully, the opening was sufficient and the burly peasants lowered its grandeur to the swept sandstone courtyard. The near white grays on these peasants caused a short murmur among the fortress's peasants.

A blonde man, clad in the blues of the Guardia Reale strode forward to interpose himself between the palanquin and the resident Arrancars. He raised an eyebrow at them.

The peasants immediately prostrated themselves, pressing their brows to the stone in a single great motion. The sworn swords went to their knees and pressed their forearms on the ground. His own kin and their mates went to one knee and planted a fist on the ground while planting the other hand on their knee. The lord bowed deeply at his waist.

"Godking Benvolio, Tenth True Godking of Luisenbarn, Heir to the Legacy of God Emperor Baraggan Luisenbarn the Divine, Rightful Lord of the Night, Master of the Knightly Orders of the Mask, Supreme Arbiter and Devastator of all your Vassals," the lord listed as he remained bowing.

"I Edwyn of the House Tuma, Patriarch of the Windblown Tuma, Lord of Wind Song and Baron of the Far March, extend all that is mine to your pleasure and comfort to your person," he said and then prostrated himself completely, pressing his forehead against the ground as custom demanded. Soon all of the inhabitants of Wind Song were pressing their foreheads to the stone ground.

Lord Edwyn heard the rustling of cloth and a boot striking the stones, then another. He heard the footsteps approaching. The footsteps stopped just in front of him and he could make out the toes of the black boots.

"Rise Lord Edwyn Tuma and Wind Song, you're of little use to me on your knees," Godking Benvolio declared.

The Tumas rose to stand once again. Their peasants rose still averting their eyes from the Godking's majesty.

"Return your people to their tasks. You and I need to speak in private, Lord Tuma. It concerns certain matters of state," Benvolio declared.

Without a further word he swept across the courtyard and through the opened doorway to the dome. Lord Edwyn made a sweeping gesture to his people before hastily walking after the Godking.

First Lady Tuma looked after her husband with some concern. She saw that her fellow sister-wives were bowing. She heard someone clearing their throat and turned to find Machiavelli Carias nearly shoving a tablet in her face.

"Let's begin with the accommodations shall we," he said grinning superiorly.

_**Nemu Kurotsuchi**_

Nemu excused herself before going into Sonído. Her companions' prudish nature worked to her advantage. Initially she intended to rid herself of her bodily wastes at the camp where it was both safe and practical. But they were adamant about maintaining cultural modesty. She supposed it made sense from a more hygienic perception, but bringing up "cultural modesty" was completely irrational. However, their irrationality was now serving her purpose.

She came out of Sonído on top of a sand dune. She let out a Pesquisa pulse.

_No sign of any other source of Spiritual Pressure, other than my own, is nearby,_ she thought. _Good._

She walked below the crest until the sand dune hid her from the view facing the camp. She sat down on the sandy surface cross-legged. She would do her more physical business soon, but first…

She pulled one of the sealed sample bags from its hiding place in her uniform. It had earlier been overfilled with the meat she had gathered from the large Hollow. Now, only a few strips remained. She opened the bag and breathed in the sickly sweet aroma. She felt the knots in her head loosen somewhat. She looked around to make sure that nobody was watching and then tenderly selected the thickest strip she could find and placed it in her mouth.

She chewed it slowly, savoring the flavor and most of all the feeling.

_It's so much better than pike,_ she thought.

It seemed to fill her up with…something. For a few precious moments she felt whole.

_Is this what I would have felt like had Father not sutured my soul in his labs? Is this what Uryu talked about whenever he talked about "being whole"?_

Soon, the satisfaction took hold. She felt untouchable. Everything else seemed so distant and didn't really matter.

Her orders concerning the expedition, the minutes she had been unable to breathe after the Arrancar Gigai was sewn onto her with her father's bloody hands, and…Room 116.

"_OBSOLETE…DEFICIENT…PARTS…UPGRADE"_

Her "Father's" voice brought it all surging back. It was as though someone was hammering at the back of her eyes. She pressed a hand to her face. Then she noticed she had eaten the whole strip.

"It's not lasting as long," Nemu observed as she willed her eyes to stop hurting.

_Of course it isn't. It's like any typical addiction. _

_ I know that, but I…I…I NEED IT! I'm tired and hungry. And rest is never allowed. It wasn't even programmed…FILE NOT FOUND!_

_Yet, it had all been beautiful when I was new, like that iridescent amoeba that could fit in the palm of my hand. I remember stroking its containment unit, wishing I could touch it with my Reiatsu. But I wasn't allowed to contact it. I was only allowed to watch it all happen again. And when _he_ cuts into it and pierces its helpless innocence…_

She came out of the thought when she felt the Spiritual Energy nearby. She took her hand away from her face and saw a boulder hurtling towards her. She stowed her meat away and contemplated whether to dodge or blast the projectile. She decided to take the hit and see what happened.

_My survival is pointless anyways._

The illogic of that conclusion struck her at about the same time the boulder struck her hard enough to bury her in the dune.

_**The Shrine**_

Apacci sniffed at the spiced mushroom through her veil and smiled. With the ease of decades of practice she slipped her fingers under the cloth to eat the mushroom. The plate before her was stacked with Hollow meat that was surrounded by well-prepared mushrooms and baked bread made from the oats and wheat that were grown in the specially made Harvest Chambers. She ripped off a piece of meat as she looked over the vast chamber.

The ceiling wasn't vaulted here on the lowest main floor of the Shrine. There was never meant to be grandeur here.

Nine long tables filled the hall. Most of the ziggurat's inhabitants were seated on the benches around the tables. The light crystals were situated in intervals along the tables. The light was soft, casting long shadows. Trays were passed along with the empty ones set down on the floor for the Initiates, who were only there to act as servants. But once the Initiates were sorted into the Sisterhoods, they would be allowed to join their new Sisters at the tables.

_Now that I think of it, the sorting ceremony is coming up,_ Apacci thought. _Even though it's supposed to be a joyous occasion, it can also be a sorrowful occasion as well. Young women who became friends as Initiates are so often torn apart when sorted into different Sisterhoods. There may be no rule saying that a table is exclusive to a certain Sisterhood, but there is so little intermingling during meals. It's as though there's some unspoken rule about that._

She looked at the gathered women and recalled meals from long ago. She remembered how Sung-Sun would always make some snide comment that would piss her off while arm-wrestling Mila Rose for the last piece of food. They would always argue with each other and the meal would end with them pouting when their Mother would take the last bit of food for herself.

Those were happier times. For a moment, Apacci imagined that she was back during that time in Las Noches before the Winter War. They were sitting around a round table on soft cushions, some of them commandeered from Starrk's chambers. They were talking about one thing or another that would always lead to another argument and end with all of them laughing.

"My Lady?" a melodic voice said, interrupting her recollection.

She blinked a couple of times and found that she was back to sitting on a sandstone throne at a rectangular table. The chair on her left reserved for the Queen whenever she came to visit was empty while the other seats were occupied.

"Yes Esther?" Apacci asked.

The First Sister of the Cierva Sisterhood inclined her head. She tugged at her dark red ponytail slightly. Her green eyes held some concern that Apacci did not care for.

"I apologize, but you seemed to be far off again," the younger Acolyte replied.

"I'm fine. Now…what were we talking about?"

Apacci realized that she was still holding the morsel under her veil and she promptly popped it into her mouth. She did not miss the look exchanged by two of the First Sisters. The third, and shortest, remained focused on her meal.

"Ariadne?" Apacci asked to the short woman.

Ariadne did not seem threatening at first glance, unlike most of those under her in the Leonisra Sisterhood. She was petit with large emotional eyes. Her closely-shorn blonde hair did not detract from her femininity. But the Acolyte uniform displayed the hard muscles covering her frame. Despite her small size, Ariadne was vicious and was known to have ripped a Son's head off with just her bare teeth and hands.

"You were discussing politics my Lady. I was not listening."

Apacci barked a laugh at the bluntly apolitical statement. The girl was so unlike Mila Rose in appearance, but Apacci knew she would have appreciated Ariadne's sense.

_I'm getting old. I'm always comparing those around me to those I've lost,_ she thought. She knew that she couldn't let those thoughts take root. What mattered was now.

"Ah yes, that's right. We were discussing the Ascensionist book discovered in that heretic's hideout. I'm surprised that such things are still floating around. It was one of those written by Tu Odelschwank, right?" Apacci asked.

"Yes. It was exactly like the copy in the Forbidden Texts chamber of our library," the First Sister of Anaconda hissed. Mia was extremely gorgeous. She was tall with long legs and smooth and graceful arms with the anaconda tattoo wrapped around each one. What could be seen of her face was curved and soft while also being well-defined. Her violet hair was loosely tied in a braid that swung behind her. Her eyes were the same shade of violet. Her bare, pale midriff was adorned with a depiction of the Goddess.

"And it was in Sanction of all places," Esther muttered as she shook her head. Her own tattoo was Apacci's old order of the leaping three-horned deer that was located on the left shoulder.

"I suppose that if anyone has use for Nel's old shit it would be heretics. But why would they bother with that one? Ascensionism is a dead faith. And rumor has it that even Tu Odelschwank no longer believes in it," Apacci mused.

Esther considered the statement while Mia frowned. Apacci tucked a straw under her veil to sip the bitter moss wine from the crystal goblet.

"It's true that heretics are senseless. But they must have a reason. Perhaps they seek an alliance with Las Noches against us," Mia said. "It would certainly explain why that new heresy is starting to take hold. Whoever founded it only had to apply some of the Ascensionist doctrines to the Histories in order to distort the Great Betrayal. They did it to undermine the Orthodoxy's authority and divide the Sisters. To think that they would actually say that…"

"Enough," Apacci snarled. "That new heresy is an affront to all true Arrancar and the Goddess. I know what you want me to do, Mia. Under ordinary circumstances, I would agree. But these are not ordinary circumstances. It's bad enough that the Queen is continually trying to gain some level of authority within the Shrine, but I will not have us divide the Sisters further by launching a witch-hunt. That will only give credence to the heresy. But if we continue to push Orthodoxy on the Initiates and the Acolytes, then the heresy will die out on its own like the weed it truly is.

"Do you understand me?"

Apacci's Reiatsu increased to the point where it broke the crystal glass. The hall went quite as the Acolytes looked to the high table feeling that pulse of rage. Mia looked at the shards and nodded.

"I apologize if I upset you," Mia said.

Apacci only gave Mia a curt nod and looked at the shards of crystal on the table.

"More wine," Apacci commanded.

The usual murmured conversations returned to the hall.

Esther gave Mia a look of annoyance. Mia only ignored it and looked ahead.

"It was such a surprise for Lady Persephone to appear like this. She certainly lives up to the stories from what I saw," Esther said, wanting to change the subject to more pleasant sands.

"Yes, the records indicate that my predecessor's predecessor had no doubt that she would become Queen of Sanction with her high abilities. Hera's ascension was as certainly as much a shock as you have heard," Mia added, somewhat reluctant to get on this topic.

"Humph, I fought alongside her back when I was a Triple. She's a great warrior. She could cut down Sons who had released with only her blade and she once broke an Eater's neck with a sheathed sword. I was on the field when she fought the First Son after he struck down Queen Juno. It was as though something from the poems of the Winter War had come to life during that patrol. Such terror…such power…" Ariadne reminisced. Her fellow First Sisters looked to her, curious at the unusual chattiness. But there seemed to be no more forthcoming from her.

"Few of the Espada made good leaders. Perhaps Juno saw Hera as a more stable option. However, the last I heard Persephone was living in the outer borderlands leading the forest sweeps and raids against the Sons. And now she resides in the Shark Court and even makes pilgrimages. I wonder why," Apacci mused.

"Queen Freya may want her aunt around again to increase her standing. There's nothing like a hero to help you challenge the current situations, especially concerning the alliance with the Luisenbarnians," Esther suggested. Mia raised a hand to cover her veiled mouth as she giggled. The sight made Apacci shiver.

"What's so funny?" Esther asked with a rather indignant tone to her voice.

"There's no great conspiracy. Do you remember that wide-eyed girl following her around like a yearling?" Mia asked.

"Do you mean Isra Van Harr?" Esther asked. Mia nodded.

"That was no Van Harr," Apacci stated as she at another mushroom.

"What do you mean?" Esther asked.

Apacci knew that the Van Harrs were obsessed when it came to breeding protocols. There was no way that they would make children who were so unlike the Goddess in appearance. Apacci had spoken briefly with the Isra girl before she and Persephone departed to return to Sanction. She had noticed how Isra was pale, white-haired with that raven streak, petit, and flat-chested; definitely not like the tanned and curvy women the Van Harrs grew into. Then there was the fact that she was timid in a way that no Van Harr had ever been since the Great Schism.

"The girl was adopted by Persephone. A poor simple-minded girl who Lady Persephone found orphaned or cast-aside to wander the vast emptiness of Hueco Mundo. Being of such a tender heart when it comes to the outcasts, she took her under her wing. She came back from near exile for no more reason than to give the girl a proper lifestyle," Mia said with all the eagerness of spreading gossip.

"That's lovely," Apacci said smiling. She swirled her new wine after an Acolyte put a new goblet in her hand. "We may breed, but we can't rear and be Acolytes. It changes one's priorities," she sighed.

"True, but I heard that raising a Yearling can be beneficial for the soul. What do you think High Sister? What are your thoughts on the possibility of rearing a child?" Mia asked. Ariadne pushed her chair back and got to her feet at the words. Then, after realizing there was no defined insult, she sat back down. But she glared at the Anaconda's First Sister.

Apacci stared at her as well, but wide-eyed in surprise. Silence fell over the table for nearly a minute. Apacci felt uncomfortable and took a long sip of her wine through the straw before deciding to answer.

"I am already rearing children," Apacci said. "The lesser Acolytes and the Initiates are all children who need to be instructed in the ways of being True Arrancars. We are the older Sisters who must watch over them and care for them as the Great Mother taught us to do."

"That is well-said, High Sister," Mia said. "But I was thinking about what my predecessor did. She left the Sisterhood to raise one of the young children who was born here at the Shrine. From what I hear, she is quite happy to not have the worries of the Shrine on her shoulders.

"I remember her telling me that there comes a time when we must all put down our burdens. I suppose she thought that raising a young child was her way of releasing the burden of duty to the Faith. I suppose there is no shame in that. Wouldn't you agree High Sister?"

Apacci knew what Mia was actually saying. And based on the look on Esther's face, she knew as well.

_Don't you think that the time has come for you to retire from your duties?_

"Have you finalized the new murals for the upper levels?" Apacci asked.

Mia gave a slight shrug as the new conversation started. Esther sighed with relief at the change in subject.

_**The Pilgrim Road**_

The silence that hung in the valley was broken by the sound of footsteps and the clinking of gear. The guards kept a watch on the mounds of stone and the hills on either side of the Pilgrim's Road as the caravan continued its journey to Sanction. But they were not as diligent as before. Nearly half of the pilgrims and guards were stretching or chatting between scans of their surroundings.

But it was to be expected. In the distance, Isra could make out the tallest minarets and spires of Sanction, the capital city of the Triples. They were nearing the heart of the Van Harr domain with the greatest dangers of the road now behind them.

"We're almost home," Persephone said, smiling from behind her veil. "Are you excited?"

Isra smiled behind her own veil and nodded. She tilted her head as she had a habit of doing when she was thinking hard about something. Persephone always found it cute.

"Persey, why is the Shrine so far away? Wouldn't it be more convenient for the Daughters if Sanction was located closer to the Shrine?"

"It would, but it would defeat the purpose of the Pilgrimage. Pilgrimages are meant to help us remember by becoming closer to those who came before and those who are yet to come. After all, it is the journey that unites us.

"Also, the Shrine was built before Sanction. It was only later that the Queens' people moved to give the clergy…space."

Isra saw that Persephone had become solemn. She didn't like it when her sister became that way. It made her nervous, and that was too close to being afraid.

"I'm sorry," Persephone said. "Whenever I'm nearly done with a Pilgrimage, I always get a little reflective. Anyways, when we get back…" she stopped in her tracks.

"Persey, what's wrong?" Isra asked tugging on her still sister's sleeve. Persephone didn't say anything at first. Instead, her eyes shifted slightly to the left. Then, without warning, she thrust her left hand at it with the palm out and fired a Bala in that direction. The golden light struck one of the boulders. As the dust and debris fell, a figure rushed out.

"AMBUSH!" Persephone yelled.

The night was suddenly filled with shouting as figures came rushing out from behind boulders or sprang out of the dirt where they had buried themselves.

"SONS!" one of the guards yelled drawing her sword.

The Sons rushed the Triples, a pack of howling horrors. Whenever they went to battle or on a raid, the Sons only wore Hollow hides and the mask fragments of the Arrancars they had defeated strapped to their bare bodies with leather cords like armor as well as trophies. Their faces were smeared with yellow war paint making their appearance even more hideous. Some stuck out their tongues to show the Twin Crescents tattooed there in honor of their insane blood-thirsty god.

Isra stood frozen to the spot. Her wide eyes were focused on such a barbarian as he leapt down from one of the pillars lining the Pilgrim's Road. She saw the guard that the barbarian was aiming for, a slim male, already crossing blades with another Son, but she couldn't do anything to help. A golden cero surged into her view and struck the descending Son silencing is war cry.

Isra turned towards the source of the attack. She saw Persephone glaring at the Sons, steam rose from her hand. The rumbling growl from behind her sister's veil broke Isra's shocked stillness. Isra fumbled for the sword at her belt and after what seemed far too long pulled out the short slightly curving blade with the black-and-white striped hilt. She tried to raise it, but Persephone's hand grabbed it and began to push down.

"Hide," Persephone ordered.

Isra tried to protest, but her tongue was thick with fear. Persephone vanished in a burst of Sonído. Isra pivoted to watch her go. The guard who had nearly been ambushed was losing his fight to the savage assault of the Son.

Then the Son stiffened and turned in time to catch Persephone's blade on his own. It did little good. Her sister's black bastard sword severed both blade and neck in one stroke. With a dancer's grace the roaring Triple pivoted striking an incoming Cero with the flat of her blade. The attack rebounded and Isra saw its maker briefly silhouetted before he let out a howl as he was consumed by his own attack.

She heard another howl, but this one was of triumph coming from too close behind her. Stories of women caught by Sons swelled in her head. A flood of Reiatsu washed over her in the unmistakable feeling of a Resurrección being unleashed. Isra turned toward the violent energy source only for something to hit her in the nose. Rubbing her nose through the veil she glanced to the ground and saw what hit her. She recognized the head of one of the older pilgrims. The eyes stared up at her as the life faded from them. Isra vanished in a burst of her own Sonído.

When she came out of the Sonído, she could still hear the sounds of battle, but they were thankfully distant. The road was still in sight, but she was hidden among the rocks and rises around it now.

But that did nothing to calm her. Her knees were shaking so hard that they threatened to give out. Her sense of unease and helplessness increased. She felt ashamed, useless, disgusted, and terrified. A part of her wanted to go back and do whatever she could, but that part was insignificant. Instead, it was the part that just wanted to cower in a hole like a frightened child that was the dominant.

She sank to her knees, too afraid to even stand. She just wanted to go home.

_But where is home?_

She shook her head. That Inner Voice rarely ever spoke up, but when it did it was always unpleasant. It made her feel like a lizard was crawling around her skull, or as though she was encased in ice.

"Please, go away," she whispered. "I don't want you here. You're scaring me."

"Well, that's good…Little Pet." She felt hot stinking breath on her neck.

An arm suddenly wrapped itself around her waist and a hand clamp over her mouth. She felt mask fragments digging into her back.

_CAUGHT! I'M CAUGHT, _her mind screamed in complete panic. She struggled frantically against the grip but her arms were pinned and her kicks did nothing.

"It won't do you any good to run, Little Nel. And it won't do you any good to scream, either. All of your little Lesbo playmates are dead," the Son whispered. She felt something slimy cross her neck and Isra realized that the Son was licking her as though she was some kind of treat. "Oh yes," the Son purred. "They're all dead."

_NO! Persephone can't be dead. She…she just can't._

"Tch…you don't look like much. Are you some kind of midget?"

_DON'T CALL ME 'MIDGET,' _her Inner Voice cried out.

But Isra didn't notice that the Inner Voice had spoken. Instead, her fear took over. Images of Persephone flashed through her head alongside all the stories she had ever heard of the Sons of the Mantis.

_I'm caught. I'm caught. I'm caught._

"But then again, maybe you're just a youngster. Oh well, no matter, either way you'll be…"

There was the sound of falling stones. The Arrancar seemed to stiffen and he threw her down onto the ground. Isra heard the sound of a sword being drawn and then his foot was on her head. He ground her face against the rocky ground even when she tried to push him off. His Reiatsu spiked with fear.

"WHO'S THERE?" he shouted. "IDENTIFY YOURSELF!"

"Relax, Straum, it's just us."

Isra could feel Straum's Reiatsu calm down. She remembered her sword and she reached for it. Then his other foot stomped down on her questing hand, fracturing her Hierro.

"Ah, thank the Great Mantis you're back. How many did you get?" Straum inquired as Isra cried out in pain.

"None," one of the newcomers replied gruffly. "But they killed plenty of us."

"How many?" Straum asked frowning.

"They killed five almost right away. When we reached them, they killed another six."

"WHAT? Are you saying it's just the four of you? Where's the Commander?"

"He…he was killed by…by a Nel," one of the others said in disgust. "The Son we followed allowed himself to be killed by A FUCKING NEL! EVEN AFTER RELEASING! AND THE SLUT DIDN'T EVEN RELEASE TO KILL HIM!"

"Tch…disgraceful," another spat. "Who would have thought that he turned out to be nothing more than just a male Nel?"

"Still, it wasn't a total loss," Straum said glancing down.

Isra could hear footsteps approach her and she couldn't help but shake in fear. There were five Sons around her. There was no way she could run from them, even if she tried.

Straum seemed to agree as he stepped off her hand and head. She rose shakily to her feet cradling her bleeding hand. Isra took in the painted faces leering at her as her eyes threatened to release tears of terror.

"So, you got one. Good work, Straum. You'll finally get marked because of this."

"It's about damn time, too," Straum grunted.

Isra felt her feet knocked from under her. A hand grabbed her hair and yanked her back to her feet. She cried out in pain and surprise. A fist struck her in the face.

"Shut up," the Arrancar who grabbed her hissed. "Don't make a sound or else I'll rip your tongue out."

Isra could only whimper in fear. The new Son ripped off her veil and sneered in her face with its newly split lip.

"Let's just take her and get out of here," the gruff Arrancar said. "Someone might…"

He didn't finish. There came the static sound of someone coming out of Sonído and then the sound of metal slicing through flesh. Isra saw blood spray in the air out of the corner of her eyes.

"DAMN IT!" another Arrancar shouted as he raised his sword in a defensive position. "SHE'S…"

There was another sound of Sonído and then the sound of metal slicing through metal and flesh. The Arrancar screamed as his belly burst open, spewing out his entrails on the stones. The remaining three Sons pressed together as the dying Son tried to stuff his innards back in. Straum held Isra in front of him like a shield as a gold Bala struck the slowly dying Son in the face. He let out a shriek as the fire consumed him and the smell of cooking flesh rose from him.

A figure, shrouded in shadows rose on top of a boulder. Steam rose from its fist. Moonlight gleamed on the blood-stained black blade.

"Using a child to save yourself, I thought you Sons liked to boast about your superiority," it called. Isra's heart soared and she let her tears flow.

"Persey…PERSEY, HELP ME!"

"Shut up, Little Nel," Straum hissed tightening his grip nearly chocking her with his arm.

The other two Arrancars kept an eye on Persephone as she leapt down from the boulder. They backed away as she began to walk towards them. Her stride was casual as though she was doing nothing more than walking in one of the moon gardens back home. Isra saw that her older sister was covered with splatters of blood on her light brown skin and her clothes were stained red. Blood dripped from her blade, leaving a trail behind it.

"Do you always like to attack the young and the weak? Tell me, that mark on your commander's tongue…did he get it for kidnapping a young child or for raping one of the women you keep chained up like a dog? If that's all it takes to be deemed a man…then it's a good thing I was born a woman."

"You fucking bitch," one of the Arrancars snarled as he understood the intended insult. He charged at her, roaring.

"STOP!" his comrade shouted.

Persephone raised her blade evading his descending strike, and sliced through the man's waist. The bottom part took another couple of steps before it fell while the torso flew forwards, leaving behind an arch of blood and entrails streaming behind it.

"Too slow," she whispered," too enraged. You know what the problem with you Sons is?"

The other Arrancar charged forward. Straum, still holding Isra, backed away, glaring at Persephone.

"All that you Sons really are…" she whispered as she dodged the Arrancar's swing and dug her hand into his throat, "…are nothing more than rabid dogs. And the only thing to do with rabid dogs…" She tore out the Arrancar's throat. "…is put them down."

The Arrancar dropped to the ground. Blood gushed from his ripped throat and gushed from the broken veins and arteries. Persephone dropped the ripped out throat on him and looked back at Straum.

"DON'T MOVE!" Straum screamed as he tightened his grip on Isra. "DON'T MOVE OR ELSE I'LL KILL HER! I SWEAR TO THE GREAT MANTIS IS WILL KILL THIS FUCKING SLUT!"

"Will you?" Persephone asked coldly. Her eyes blazed at him as she cocked an eyebrow. "I wonder if you can, Boy."

The Arrancar tilted Isra's head back and pressed the edge of his blade against her throat. A thin trickle of blood flowed from where the blade pierced the Hierro. Isra whimpered.

"Try me," Straum spat.

"If she dies, then you'll die. Let her go and I'll let you go. You're not marked, which means that you're not a full-grown Son yet."

"I TOOK THE RITE OF WILL AND I PASSED! I AM A TRUE SON!"

Persephone looked at him.

"So…you don't necessarily have to have the mark of the Twin Crescents to be considered a True Son?"

"That's right. I already crippled one of your kind and I'll gladly do it to this bitch right here. And when I'm done with her…I'll do the same to you. I'll have you both here and now and then I'll drag you back to Tesla and give you as a give to First Son Delgado."

Persephone only looked at him and smiled.

"So…you don't really have any intention of killing her. You Sons are a disgrace. You don't deserve to call yourselves Arrancars."

"What? Now listen close you Nel-munching whore. I AM A WARRIOR OF SANTA TERESA!" Straum shouted.

"No, you are not a warrior. None of the Sons are truly warriors. Warriors draw their blades and are thrilled by the challenge of strong opponents. Their pride is to seek the mighty to measure themselves and grow stronger through battle. That was the way that your god was at first, but then his pride at continually being beaten by a woman made him go down the path of becoming a disgrace. And all of you Sons have only gone further down that path.

"There is no pride to be gained by preying on the weak, the easy kills, and those who are easy to catch. You are reluctant to face the strongest of the pack. Those are the actions of a carrion-eater, a predator, a beast without honor."

Persephone used his confusion and growing rage to her advantage. She rushed forward and cut off the arm holding the sword below the elbow. Straum shrieked in pain and surprise as he looked at the stump. His other hand released Isra as it grabbed at the bleeding stump.

Persephone grabbed Isra and pulled her behind her. They backed away from the screaming Son who was now bending over as though bowing. Isra wept in relief as blood trickled down her neck.

"Isra, close your eyes."

The tone in Persephone's voice chilled her. It was like the cold wind that came before a storm. Her sister's face was filled with the rage that came from the Hollow instinct that resided deep inside every Arrancar.

The young Son, still bent at the waist and concealing the stump glanced up and saw that rage. He sneered at her. Isra turned her attention to her enemy surprised at the confidence in his eyes and his smile.

"So…you think that just cutting off one hand will do you any good?" He straightened and Isra's eyes widened when she saw that his arm had fully regrown. "REGENERATION, BITCH!" he yelled and fired a Cero. Persephone easily dodged the Cero, but it gave Straum enough time to reach his sword. He held it over his head with the blade's point facing forward like a stinger.

"PIERCE, SCORPONO!" he shouted. Sand and small stones were kicked up in a whirlwind around Straum as he released. The whirlwind passed quickly enough. He stood grinning, attired in white half plate as a massive scorpion tail rose behind him. Its stinger was like a steel scythe and she knew that it was coated in some kind of poison.

"SUCK ON THIS, BITCH!" he screamed. He vanished into Sonído and Isra looked around frantically. Stepping back she hit something. She turned and saw that Persephone was behind her, holding the tail by the stinger's edge in between her fingers.

"What?" Straum asked in shock. Persephone brought up her sword and cut off the end of the tail.

Straum screamed and leapt backwards. A cloud of sooty yellow Reiatsu grew around him and claws sprouted from his back. One of the claws grabbed hold of a boulder and cut through the stone with ease. He smirked and roared as he raced towards Isra, claws clicking.

Persephone didn't say anything. Instead, she crouched as low as she could and swung her bastard sword at the Son's ankles. The blade sank deep into the Achilles' Tendons. He screamed as his ruined ankles gave way and he collapsed at Isra's feet before the girl scampered back.

"Regeneration," Persephone whispered and smiled. "It's been a while since I last encountered an Arrancar with that ability in combat. Oh…I think I'm gonna have some fun with you, Hollow."

"I'M A TRUE SON! I'M A TRUE ARRANCAR, YOU FUCKING BITCH! SLUT! WHORE! NEL-EATER! Tch…I bet you like to play with her," he leered and pointed at Isra. "I bet you like the way her tongue feels as it caresses your body, especially the areas that make all of you Nels go weak. 'Oh yes! Do that some more!' YOU LESBOS MAKE ME SICK!"

Persephone glowered at him and allowed her blade to cut into his calves. The Son screamed in pain. She cut the nearly regrown tail off close enough to also slice into his buttocks. Then she focused on the claws trying to reach her. Her sword sliced through them with ease and she fired a Bala at each stump. It was a lesson she learned when she faced an Arrancar who could regenerate before. Like the hydra of myth, if the wounds were cauterized before they could regrow then regeneration was impossible.

"You dare to say that you're an Arrancar? You're not an Arrancar. None of the Sons are truly Arrancars. You're all nothing but Hollows who just happen to have broken masks.

"Even the Eaters are better than you. They're at least born monsters. But you Hollows choose to make yourselves as you are."

She wiped the blade clean with a bit of cloth and tossed it on the ground. She did not bother with her own bloodied state. She re-sheathed it. The Son looked at her in disgust.

"I don't need your pity or your mercy Nel. If you let me go, then I'll…"

"I think you misunderstand," Persephone whispered and glared at him. Her smile made Straum feel nervous. "I have no intention of letting you go."

"Then…why?"

"Well…you did hurt my little sister." She thrust her hand into his abdomen, grabbing his entrails and twisting them. He shrieked in pain and horror. "And I don't like it when somebody hurts my little sister."

She relished in his torment, the way he must have relished tormenting countless women. Her Hollow instinct told her what to do and she obeyed it. She was an Arrancar. And Arrancars know how to be brutal. Persephone hissed audibly out of disgust and pleasure as she pulled out organs and guts from his torn torso as it tried to close. She took her time. She wanted to make him suffer for daring to lay his filthy hands on Isra and so made sure to avoid his more vital organs. He tried to form another Cero, but she only fired a Bala of her own that caused the growing Cero to blow Straum's arm off.

Isra could only watch in terror as her sister ripped into the Arrancar. The Son could only scream in terror and pain.

"NO! NO! I WON'T LET YOU KILL ME YOU FUCKING BITCH!" he shrieked grabbing her hands and pulling them out of his torso as blood ran from his mouth. "I WILL NOT BE SHAMED!"

He was trying to fight her, but his efforts were in vain even as a sooty yellow Cero formed in his widening mouth. Persephone only grunted in annoyance at how he was able to form a Cero from more than one location. She released a burst of Reiatsu in her arms that shot out, shattering the hands holding her. She thrust two fingers into the Cero ball, injecting gold energy into it, dispersing the power. She grabbed his tongue.

Then she stopped. Persephone cocked her head slightly hissing as she thought of something. She smiled as she dug her fingers into the area into the skin just above his mask fragment that went around the bridge of his nose, under his eyes, and protruded at the corners of his mouth like a pair of pincers. His eyes widened in terror.

"Your armor…trophies from those Arrancars you've killed. It's actually a clever way to boast about your 'accomplishments.' I think I might start my own collection."

"No…pleath…pleath…no…" he whimpered.

"Shut up, Nnoitora scum," she whispered.

She dug into the skin and yanked the mask fragment from his forehead. Straum shrieked as the skin ripped away and the fragment tore away.

His screams were muffled but could still chill the blood. It was pain mixed with fear mixed with hatred mixed with humiliation. But for Persephone, it was sweet music. It was the music that made her leap for joy. It was the sound she relished in the old days when she went on her raids against the Sons in their lands. It was the sound she drank in deeply when they did to them what they did to women. It was the sound she hoped to hear when the Believers finally ended the Blood Feud by wiping out every last Son from the face of Hueco Mundo.

She held the mask fragment up like it was a scalp and let out a cry of triumph as she sank her fingers into the Son's lower jaw.

"Now, let's end this," she whispered and ripped his lower jaw out of the socket. She tugged again as the skin ripped away. He let out another scream and blood gushed from his ruined mouth.

She looked at her reflection in his wide, terrified eyes. She was a vengeful, blood-covered wraith raising a jawbone with skin and muscle tissues streaming from it. The jawbone had a golden aura about it from her infused golden energy. She pulled down her veil to let him see the malevolent grin and look of rapture on her face before she brought down the blow.

His skull was thick and it tried pathetically to heal. It didn't matter. She was in the haze. She continued to strike him with his own jawbone. She did not realize when she had begun to pound nothing more than bits of bone and mashed brains into the stone.

When she did realize it was over, she tossed the jaw aside and kicked the bloodied corpse.

"There, try to regenerate now, scum."

Breathing hard she turned and saw Isra lying curled into a ball on the ground, crying. Persephone felt all of the rage and hatred at the Sons fueled by the Blood Feud left her and the instinct to comfort took over. She rushed to Isra and knelt next to her. She held her little sister in her extremely bloody hands and covered her in gore as she pulled the trembling form close to her.

"Hush now…you're safe, Isra. You're safe. I'm here. I'm here. I'll always keep you safe. No matter how much blood I have to spill, I'll keep you safe. Shhh…shhh…shh…"

Isra stopped trembling as Persephone's bloody hands held her close to her blood-covered bosom and stroked her white hair, staining them crimson. Her breathing returned to normal and her eyes relaxed when Persephone began to hum a soothing melody.

She smiled as Persephone's bloodied hands gently touched her mask fragment. Her fear vanished and her sense of safety overflowed. She was able to drift into a peaceful dreamless sleep in Persephone's arm. Even when those hands were covered in blood, Isra felt safe with their warm and gentle touch.

_**Nemu Kurotsuchi**_

Nemu recognized the sensation of being carried. Someone had her over their broad shoulders carrying her as though she was nothing but a sack. Her forearms were bound against her sides by a rope of some kind that was tied tighter than necessary. Her ankles were bound together, but not by a rope. By how it felt as though whatever was wrapped around her ankles was trying to bit into her Hierro Nemu concluded that it must have been made of some kind of wire.

_Like some of the garrote wire Father made for the Security Force,_ she thought. _I wonder how they got hold of it. No one other than authorized personnel is supposed to have possession of it. However, my Hierro is not so weak as to break that easily,_ she thought with thin shadow of triumph.

She opened her eyes and where she was. The sands made determining her location difficult, but she could still make out the spires of Las Noches to gain some sort of heading.

She heard a chorus of cheers and crude calls from somewhere up ahead. She tried to twist around only for her captor to tighten his hold. She was too solid for him to smother her physically. And feeling his Reiatsu output, she was certain he also couldn't smother her using his Reiatsu. It was fortunate that despite his size, his power was extremely weak.

Looking at his back she noted that his grey attire was crudely mended with broad stitches that failed to properly close his breaches, which were only held up by a length of rope.

She examined her surroundings and saw that they were in some kind of encampment at the base of a series of rugged stone-littered hills. Nemu noted that it was surrounded by a crudely made wall of sandstone that was little more than a minor inconvenience for any who wanted to attack this place. And even then, this small wall was full of gaps that appeared to have been hastily filled-in with whatever was lying about, including a Hollow's corpse or two that some of the inhabitants were munching on.

The camp itself seemed to be composed of a series of pits with the remains of Hollows smoking in them. Hulking figures sat around them or strode from pit to pit stupidly. Some of these large Arrancars looked at her, their eyes filled with violent stupidity. They dismissed her and returned to their idleness.

_Although,_ she thought as she turned her head, _not all of them are idle._

Two of the hulking brutes were fighting each other. They were biting into each other and digging into the other's Hierro barehanded. As she watched, two more of these hulking Arrancars joined in the fight for no apparent reason.

_Too much like Squad 11,_ she thought. _There's nothing to warrant any observation here._

Then her senses picked something up. She cocked her head slightly sniffing the air.

_Radioactive Dye 45,_ she thought. _It's close. Retrieval Mode Activated. Plotting best course of action. Waiting…waiting…waiting… Course of action plotted._

There was a series of grunts and she felt her body being plopped down in front in front of a tent made of a series of canvases made of Hollow hides hastily set up. She rolled herself to her side and saw one of the hulking figures in front of the tent leaning forward to look down at her. Its beady eyes squinted and she could picture arthritic gears turning in its skull.

"Good meat?" it asked.

"Smells good. No taste."

_Creatures exhibit poor linguistic skills. Aside from size, they pose no real great experimental value aside from testing intellect-improvement formulae. Radioactive Dye 45 is negative on these two. Must not engage until source is located, target has been rendered properly disposed, and Dye 45 secured._

"Other?"

"Surface…not Other…not Leaper, smell good."

"Hunter?"

"Hunter. Eat now or…?" Nemu was surprised that it actually managed a question.

"Chief hungry. Chief need feed. This feed."

The other Arrancar nodded sagely.

"Cook," he stated picking her back up. Her cooperation did not seem suspicious to these creatures. So far things were working to her advantage.

"Chief want feed raw. Chief become strong. Leapers much trouble. Chief want tear them. Chief need raw feed," the guard said as he shook his head.

_Subjects think only of killing other entities and feeding. Mental level is inferior to approximately 84% of all subjects experimented on. The observed behavior is similar to the Espada known as Yammy Riyalgo. They offer no real experimental value. Subjects may be terminated if necessary._

_ Note mention of "Leapers" in context of enemies. In all likelihood these "Leapers" are another tribe who possess some agility to earn such a moniker._

"What Chief's Tahl-ees-mahn speak?"

"Tahl-ees-mahn silent. Tahl-ees-mahn protect, not speak. Take inside. Too much talk."

The Arrancar holding Nemu carried her through the tent opening. A few steps in it dropped her again onto the floor. She raised her head a little and saw that the tent didn't have much except for a crude sculpture of a creature part gorilla and part lizard with horns on its head and running down its back. She heard guttural whispers and looked to see a cluster of hulking figures grunting.

"Feed for Chief-of-chiefs," her captor announced.

The throng got up and dispersed through another entrance. A hulking figure rose from a crudely made chair of stone they had been clustered around and walked over to the Arrancar.

"Late," he said in a low, guttural growl. Without warning the Arrancar, who must have been the chief, struck the captor Arrancar in the face with a large fist. The Arrancar fell backwards, its face caved-in. Blood mixed with bone and brain flowed around the corpse. "Too much talk. Need feed."

Nemu looked at the hulking brute. Its mask fragment was a series of horns protruding from the sides of its face. Its eyes were just as violently stupid as the others, but there was a miniscule amount of actual intelligence. It was dressed only in Hollow hides as well as rags that must have been taken from Arrancars it had killed or its camp had killed. It cocked its head at her shifting the black bristly mane. It leaned down easily ripped the rope wrapped around Nemu as well as the garrote cord. It straightened and looked down on her.

"Me Fisto," it said and pounded its fisted hands on his broad chest. "You feed."

"Nemu looked at the various trinkets hanging from around his thick neck. It had a necklace made of ears and another made out of fangs. But one necklace in particular caught her attention. It was a small, round disk with a glass bead in the center.

_Source found. Retrieval will occur in…_

Before she could finish the thought, Fisto grabbed one of her arms and dub a thick thumb into her armpit. He yanked the arm out of its socket with one twisting pull. She didn't scream, but instead only looked at the bleeding socket where her arm had been only moments ago in surprise.

"You feed. Feed make me strong. Tahl-ees-mahn protect me," he said and gestured to the disk. He continued his rant while gesturing with her arm in his hand for emphasis. "Me strong. Me kill Hunters. Me kill Others. Me kill Leapers. Me kill rivals. Me become Chief-of-chiefs. Me Berserker of Berserkers."

Nemu watched in fascination as Fisto began to munch on her arm. She reached into the hidden pocket woven in her belt and took out on of the small syringes of the regeneration formula that Akon had given her, most likely without Mayuri knowing, shortly before she left. She had undergone the same therapy as her Father's body. Hopefully the Gigai would not interfere with that. Fisto did not seem to notice as he was too busy munching on her arm to pay her any heed.

Nemu injected herself and the arm regenerated, pale and coated with Hierro. She flexed her hand to make sure that the regrowth had worked. She was pleased that her new hand worked with her usual dexterity.

She calculated what toxins that arm contained and in what dosage. She knew that it wouldn't be long before they started to take effect. She waited as Fisto devoured her poisoned flesh.

_**Hanataro Yamada**_

"W-where's Nemu? Shouldn't she be back by now?" Hanataro asked.

He looked around as though trying to see any sign of her coming back. She had told them that she needed to relieve herself in her usual matter-of-fact manner. Tatsuki looked around as well and her habitual frown deepened. She knew that Nemu only took a couple of minutes for restroom breaks and it had been much longer than that.

"Perhaps we should go look for her," Hanataro pressed tugging at his hair lightly.

"Why should we, Runt?" Ikkaku asked. "Nemu's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"True," Tatsuki muttered. She felt uneasy though. It seemed that lately Nemu had been acting strangely…well, stranger than usual. And that was saying something.

_That bastard must have injected her with something,_ she thought. _Well something else other than the obvious._

The thought of that hideously angelic smile sent a shiver down her spine. She had not met anyone before coming here who had unnerved her the way Dorian Narciss had, not even Mayuri Kurotsuchi had frightened her as much he had.

"She probably just found something worth experimenting on," Tatsuki decided. "She'll come back in her own time."

_**Nemu Kurotsuchi**_

The brawl outside had grown to a dozen participants. There were no sides. Each Berserker was fighting for himself. Nearly all of the other men in the camp were watching, cheering, and hooting. Posts and meager duties were abandoned and soon only the resolutely napping Arrancars refrained from the festivities.

A bald brute ripped off the leg of a Hollow's corpse rotting in a wall gap and bit into it.

"Bad meat. Women meat best," he commented in what passed for deep thoughts. "Old Chief not let us eat women we had. Say bad idea. Bad idea hunting when meat already here fattening up. Best woman way big. Cut open. Slimy snakes pour out. Taste spicy. Woman not much meat," he commented as he looked to the tent. "No stuffed with snakes," he said sadly.

"New Chief better. New Chief let us eat women. But now no women. No snakes. That problem?"

A crunching sound drew his attention back to the corpse as he took another bite from the rotting leg. He stared into the ever bared teeth and wide eyes of the Eater crouched on the corpse. It opened its lipless mouth wider and roared. Saliva sprayed all over the Berserker. He blinked slowly and then punched it, knocking the creature back and cutting his knuckles on its teeth.

Kicking the Hollow's corpse out of the way he stepped out beyond the wall to finish it off. He stopped and dropped his meat. Eaters crouched all around the outside of the wall. They looked at him as saliva dripped from their teeth. With a cry he reached for his sword. Before it cleared his scabbard six of the creatures leapt onto him sinking their jaws into the nearest bits of flesh they could grasp.

His screams distracted the nearest Berserkers from the brawl as the Eaters leapt into the camp.

"Leapers," one of the Berserkers noted, somewhat shocked. "Must kill, must…"

He didn't get far before more Eaters leapt over the wall, covering him. They bit into his shoulders and neck and chest. Blood gushed out of the wounds as the Berserker shook them off and bashed them away. The Eaters looked weak, but their bones had long since hardened to be able to withstand a great deal of force. As a result, no matter how hard the Berserkers tried to beat them away, the Eaters would get up and attack if their heads were not crushed or ripped off.

Some of the Berserkers thought of their swords and bout going into Resurrección. Unfortunately, it had been well over 100 years since any Berserker was relatively quick-thinking. Even decades before their decline accelerated, not even what had passed for quick-thinking for them could have saved them from such a pack of Eaters.

The Berserkers may have had size and brute strength, like their forefather Yammy, on their side. But the Eaters had speed and ferocity to counter. If Tatsuki had seen these Eaters, unchained and un-drugged, she would have realized that the Octavians drugged the Eaters to make them somewhat docile and weak.

It was no contest.

The Berserkers who tried to fight were too slow and too big to be able to keep up with the swift movements of the much smaller creatures. And combined with their durability, this made them ideal predators to the brutes.

In the tent, Fisto got up scowling as he crunched Nemu's fingers between his over-sized teeth. His nostrils flared.

"Leapers," he growled. He touched the disk hanging around his neck.

"Tahl-ees-mahn protect me. Great Father Yammy protect me." It was more of a statement of certainty than a prayer. Nemu had a feeling that this beast was too stupid to even know how to pray. "Fisto fight. Fisto win."

The beast suddenly wavered on his feet. Nemu knew that the toxins were starting to take effect. She watched as the veins and arteries that were visible thanks to being pushed close to the skin by the bulging muscles were starting to turn black. He clawed at his chest where the skin was now taking on a bruised appearance.

"What? Tahl-ees-mahn…protect me," Fisto moaned as he sank back into his crude throne.

Nemu cocked her head slightly as she approached him. She stopped and drew out her sword slowly. She sensed movement coming from outside. She heard something scratching at the canvas. She turned to where the sound was coming from and saw the fabric bulging in-and-out, in-and-out. Then claws pierced into the fabric. There was a loud ripping sound as the extremely sharp claws ripped into the fabric. She watched in fascination as the claws continued rip the fabric.

Then it stopped. All she could hear was Fisto struggling for breath as the toxins spread through his body and the sounds of struggle going on outside. She readied her drawn sword and waited. She stepped to the side, keeping any eye on the well-torn area. Then she heard something moving outside and she prepared herself.

The Eater burst through the hole it had made in the hides. It shrieked in triumph. Bits of ripped flesh and blood and saliva flew out of its widened jaws. A blade was driven upwards through its jaws and through the roof of its mouth and out the top of its head. The creature gurgled in confusion as blood ran down the blade.

Nemu stretched out her other hand before pulling the blade out.

"Are you too foolish to know when to die?" she asked.

The creature only widened its lipless mouth and lunged for her. Nemu calmly fired a Bala into its mouth. The head exploded and it fell backwards and out of the tent.

She stepped to the hole the creature had made and looked out on the battle taking place. She concluded that it did not matter who won. They were all not worth her time. Nemu ran a finger along her blade gathering blood on it. Lifting the blood to her nose she sniffed it and cringed.

"Bad meat," she concluded. Cleaning the finger with a burst of Reiatsu, she returned to where Fisto laid on his throne. His chest looked like a massive bruise and the blackened blood vessels had moved up to his cheeks. She listened to his labored breathing. His size was the only reason he wasn't dead now.

She reached out to grab his "tahl-ees-mahn". She lifted his head so as to slide the necklace off him. He tried to say something. She looked at his expression and saw that it was filled with hate and impotent fury. That look promised suffering beyond what she could imagine for defeating a warrior like him with such underhanded trickery.

"I have been tormented by beings more powerful and imaginative than you could believe in. But I can understand the despair that motivated you. Since I am more than intelligent enough to realize how pathetic you and those under your command were, I shall not draw this out," she told him. Her hand lashed out in a blur. His Hierro tore audibly.

He was noisy dying as Nemu walked away, a segment of his bleeding throat in her hand. She passed through the battle oddly unseen. Perhaps they could not believe the sight of her serene peace and thus ignored her.

The concern was passing. She lifted the torn flesh to her mouth and found it sweeter than the Hollow meat she had harvested. Her own poison was harmless to her.

_And it makes such an excellent seasoning,_ she thought. A small smile formed on her lips as she looked at the disk. _And the Commander will be very pleased with what I'm bringing back._

_ It seems to have turned out to be a very good evening after all._

She popped the last bit of meat into her mouth and licked the delectable blood from her fingers.

_Yes, a very good evening,_ she thought as she walked into the endless sea of sand.

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

"Alright then, I will go alone. You two, stick together. Fire one Bala into the air for trouble and two in succession if you find her," Tatsuki said. Ikkaku and Hanataro nodded to show that they understood.

Hanataro felt sick. It was bad enough that Nemu was in trouble, but he had to be escorted because they didn't trust him not to fall into some kind of trouble. And to make it worse, he agreed with the assessment.

"Greetings," Nemu said as she came out of Sonído.

They all nearly leapt back with Hanataro falling on his ass at her sudden appearance.

"NEMU! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Ikkaku shouted. The blank look she gave him only pissed him off further.

"What happened to your sleeve?" Tatsuki asked when she noticed that Nemu was missing an entire sleeve from her uniform, showing off her milky white arm.

"An Arrancar ate my arm. The sleeve must have been lost as well then," Nemu answered as she looked at her arm with a small frown.

"Hold on. What?" Tatsuki asked, unable to comprehend what Nemu had said.

"YOU LOST AN ARM?" Hanataro screamed.

"Shut up, Shrimp, she obviously found it," Ikkaku snickered now that someone else was being messed with. But he was almost certain that the spacey Lieutenant did any mockery by accident.

"I got better. But unfortunately my uniform does not heal," Nemu replied.

"Hold on. You…lost an arm. And you're upset about losing a sleeve," Tatsuki deadpanned.

_That does it,_ Tatsuki thought. _I can now officially conclude that Nemu is crazy. But, I shouldn't be surprised. Anyone with her upbringing and long history of emotional abuse would be crazy. But now we have to ask what kind of insanity and how much of that insanity does she have?_

"Should I tear off the other sleeve to restore symmetry?" Nemu asked Hanataro.

"Stop, just stop right there, Nemu. How did your arm get eat? Who ate it? And where did all of this happen for you to just waltz back here?" Tatsuki demanded losing her patience.

"Those are insignificant inquiries. The significant thing is that I have retrieved something that may aid us to ascertain what may have happened to the previous expedition."

"Don't try to…hold on. What did you say? You…you found something, but you won't tell us where you found this something," Tatsuki said.

"There is no need to take you there. That would only be a waste of time."

Nemu reached into her uniform's pocket and brought out the disk, still hanging from the leather cord.

"Okay, but…what is it?" Ikkaku asked.

"This is a Holo-Record," Nemu explained. "Each member of the Research Team and Expedition Commander Kuchiki were given one prior to departure. They were to use it to record data which would be given to Captain Kurotsuchi upon their return."

"Okay, so…how does this help us?" Ikkaku asked.

"Honestly, Ikkaku, are you really that dense?" Tatsuki asked. "It can help us because it gives us some record of where the expedition went. The more important question is: how do we play it? Does it require specific equipment?"

"That is where I can be of assistance. The Holo-Record can only be activated by the Reiatsu of someone from Squad 12 or Miss Kuchiki since she was the Commanding Officer. Since I am from Squad 12…"

"You can play it," Hanataro said eagerly. "Well, what are we waiting for? This could be vital to helping us find Rukia."

"And yet it may not work," Nemu said. "The Holo-Record is a delicate piece of equipment and I did not find it in gentle hands."

"Still, we have to try," Tatsuki said. "There could be vital information on it that we can use. Nemu, if you can play it, then I order you to do so."

Nemu looked at the disk. The orders from her "Father" were quite clear on the matter. And yet, she didn't suppose there was anything on it that would compromise Squad 12's darkest secrets. Everyone in Squad 12 knew better than to have loose lips on anything that Master Mayuri deemed to be "highly classified information."

She held the disk in the palm of her hand and she traced her finger along the disk's slightly scratched surface. It was in this way that Tatsuki Arisawa and her group got their first glimpse into what happened on the First Expedition.

The hologram flickered from the glass bead in the center of the disk. The image of the upper body of a balding man with greasy looking black hair floated in the air like Jacob Marley's ghost. The way he was squinting his eyes indicated that he was in desperate need of glasses, but was not willing to use them.

"Operation Izanagi Entry One, Mako Sendai personal recording…observations in accordance with…Kurotsuchi," the image said with some bursts of static cutting off some of his words.

"Hueco Mundo meets expectations. There has been no alteration from the readings taken by Captain Kurotsuchi during the Winter Wars. The Arrancar population has not appeared to affect the ecology such as it is.

"Variances from simulation seem to fall in acceptable categories. Only abnormality manifesting among the personnel to my observation is the behavior of the thugs. But this is just their usual irrationality.

"Hopefully Las Noches will yield more data.

"Operation Izanagi Entry Two, Mako Sendai reporting.

"Las Noches has become a spent force. The Schisms have left this city merely functional. Commander Kuchiki and the Expedition's Head Security Officer have taken a great interest in finding out more information on the Schisms and the resulting Tribes for some strange reason.

"My colleagues have investigated the phenomena of laxity that seems so contrary to Arrancar behavior in past encounters. We have theorized it to be a form of Social Post Traumatic Stress combined with a contamination of sorts from the Primera's Reiatsu leaking across the city.

"We are unable to test this theory due to the Commander preventing us from performing more thorough observations and running more experiments on the specimens we gathered. Ando supports her decision. If the Commander continues her narrow-minded interference, then this expedition will not be as productive as we would like.

"Sadly, our search of the Octavian Labs has been cut short. We have…unable…find…want…"

There was more static and the holographic image flickered a little before becoming stable again.

"Operation Izanagi Entry Three, Mako Sendai reporting.

"We are preparing to leave Las Noches. I do not know when I can make the next report, but the Commander insists that we leave at once. Combined with other inquiries, it would appear as though Tu Odelschwank and the Privarons are taking too much interest in us. They likely believe us to be spies from one of the other Tribes. We can't risk them finding out the truth.

"Conclusion on Las Noches: Vanguard concerns seem unfounded here. I estimate Las Noches will collapse into a state of lax anarchy within a hundred years. Also, the true power lies in those who left Las Noches and not those who remained. The only valuable commodity to retrieve from Las Noches is the Primera and his counterpart for experimentation.

"We have gained little information on the other Tribes or of these Schisms here. We have gained few samples for experimentation.

"It matters little. The truth is out there."

There was more static and the image flickered in-and-out before becoming stable again.

"…Izanagi…reporting.

"Octavia is bountiful…science unchained. I would give anything to be able to investigate their inner layers. They may be inferior intellects but their resourcefulness…

"Exposure risk too high…strongly recommends immediate departure.

"…Gotei must seize Octavia in future to reap its knowledge…potential…"

The holographic image went blank and the audio became nothing but static.

"What the Hell?" Tatsuki asked. "Nemu, what's wrong with this thing?"

"It's as I feared. The improper maintenance has corrupted much of the data. Hmm…it appears that the final file is undamaged, but it is merely an audio file. Shall I play it?"

"YES!" Tatsuki demanded.

"As you command," Nemu said and touched the disk's main surface on the area closest to her.

"Operation Izanagi Entry 17, Tenzo Baarki reporting.

"Sendai is dead, along with two other Researchers and some of the thugs. Some of the equipment has been lost, but we still have the Garganta Generator. Unfortunately, the Holo-Records from the other Researchers have been lost.

"Pantera has proved to be the worst yet for our numbers.

"As far as overall behavior, I would say that the Sons were worse. But we were able to manage them at the cost of some indignity for the Commander.

"Hell take Sendai. This is entirely his fault. If only he had kept his mouth... The witless fool should have realized that Fanatics are not to be argued with in their own territory.

"Only Ando and myself are left of the Research Team. The thugs have only lost five thus far. It may be time to return, but Ando and the Commander wish to press on. They are being completely illogical. It is better to have incomplete data than complete silence. And at the rate we're going, I'm afraid that none of us may return.

"But, I cannot afford to let despair take hold. There is some good news.

"We will be close to the border. Hopefully that will mean that the harassment from the Panterans will stop. I think that if they wanted to they could have killed us long before now. They're like cats playing a mouse. But it seems that Aramaki is keeping the thugs' morale up. That's an achievement right now even among those fools.

"I wonder what the Arrancars in this area are like. I hope they're not as brutal as the Sons and the Panterans. If that's the case, then we should probably go underground to the Menos Forest. So far, all of the Arrancars we've encountered, even the Panterans and Sons, are hesitant when it comes to going underground because of these specters they refer to as 'The Others.' We can use that to our advantage if we have to.

"Locking data. For further data reference my log or Ando's or Commander Kuchiki's."

There was a long pause.

"I hope you are listening to this Captain. Tenzo Baarki, signing off."

There was a slight clicking sound and then there was nothing but silence. Tatsuki frowned.

"So, is that it?" Ikkaku asked.

"That is all of the data there is on the disk," Nemu answered.

"Not much information, then," Tatsuki said. "Is there any way that the corrupted data can be retrieved?"

"Unfortunately, there is not. That part of the disk seems to be too badly damaged."

"So what should we do now?" Hanataro asked.

Tatsuki bit on her lower lip. She knelt on the ground and took out the map they had bought back in Octavia out of her pocket and spread it on the ground. The others knelt around it.

"We can confirm that they did go to Octavia, but they did not stay there for very long." Tatsuki tapped the location on the map marked for Octavia. "They mentioned something about 'the Sons', but we don't know where they are. The only other actual locations they mentioned were the Menos Forest and Pantera."

She allowed her finger to drift over the map and then tapped on the area marked for Pantera that was further north of where they were and slightly west.

"Pantera…Pantera…Pa-" Realization came upon Tatsuki in that instant. "THAT'S IT! Ikkaku, you said that Maki-Maki mentioned 'panthers'."

"Yeah, that's right. So?"

"So, he was directing us where to go next by using what he could remember. Pantera means 'panther.' That does it. We go to Pantera."

"But…but…you heard that last bit," Hanataro said. "These…uh…'Panterans' killed some of the previous expedition's members. Is it a good idea to go there?"

"I heard the same entry that you did Hanataro, and based on what I heard they did something to provoke them. However, if we're careful, then they will most likely not try to hurt us. But either way, we are going to Pantera. We may find out some more information about what happened to them."

"Yes, that is the most logical conclusion," Nemu said.

"Pantera eh," Ikkaku muttered. "Wasn't that the name of that one Espada's release? You know, the Espada Kurosaki encountered."

"Grimmjow," Tatsuki said, thinking about the reports she studied on the Espada who had survived the Winter War. "Yes, his release name's was 'Pantera.'"

"Hmm, do you think we'll encounter him?" Ikkaku asked eagerly.

"I don't know for sure," Tatsuki said with a shrug. "There was nothing that we heard that mentioned Grimmjow, but it could have been in one of the corrupted entries. But I suppose it's possible."

Ikkaku's grin widened at that. Tatsuki got a bad feeling and knew she would have to do something to stop him from doing something stupid.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get going."

"Now hold on. Before we leave I need to know one thing," Tatsuki said.

"What is it?"

Tatsuki looked to Hanataro and Nemu.

"You two get started packing. I need to talk to Ikkaku for a moment."

"Oh…okay," Hanataro said as he staggered to his feet. Nemu got up as well.

Tatsuki made sure that they were starting to pack and leaned in closer to Ikkaku.

"I need to know that you won't cause any problems. We're going there to find out more information about the previous expedition and nothing else. I don't want these Panterans to play with us because you had to go and do something stupid like challenge Grimmjow to a duel. If he challenges you to a duel, then that's a completely different matter."

"Okay, but…why are you singling me out?"

"Don't play dumb with me Madarame. I saw the look on your face.

"You're the only member of Squad 11 in this group and there's a reason why Squad 11 is looked upon with some discomfort when it comes to going undercover. I'm not as worried about Nemu or Hanataro causing any problems because they're not likely to get into a fight, at least not on purpose.

"I don't want you to go on a killing spree and jeopardize all of us like you nearly did back in Octavia. Do you understand?"

Ikkaku looked at her and nodded. Tatsuki smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Good." Tatsuki picked up the map and stood up. "Nemu," she called out.

"Yes, how may I be of assistance?"

"I need you to keep us on a slightly north-west direction. We're going to Pantera."

"Yes ma'am."

Tatsuki folded the map and put it back into her pocket. Their first insight into the First Expedition had only raised more questions than what it answered. She hoped that as they continued more pieces would fall into place.

But for right now, she knew that the chances of finding Rukia alive were diminishing.

_But there's still a chance,_ she thought. _Gods damn it. I owe Ichigo too much to just give up on finding her alive. As long as there's a chance that she's alive, I'll keep searching. And I will not allow anything to stop me._

**End of Chapter 7**

**A.N.: Thank you for reading and please review.**


	9. Chapter 8: The Panther and The Dragon

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 8: The Panther and The Dragon**

The Fangs marched in a single file line across the desert. There was no real tactical plan to march in such a way. It had simply drifted into that formation. Silence hung over them like a thick shroud.

At first, they had sung marching songs or played Chase the Reaper when they left Las Noches. But after a while their laughter and singing had given way to whining and complaining. They remained silent ever since Lysander had taken to smacking anyone who complained about being tired or whined about the things they could be doing if they had stayed in Las Noches.

As Las Noches became more and more distant, their unease grew. Tales of The Others and the barbaric tribes came to them, and the silence only gave those tales even more life.

So now they walked under the moonlight. Some tried to look unafraid with their fists clenched at their sides. Others fingered their short swords. Every so often a Fang would break the silence by whispering to the Fang in front of them. Occasionally one would look up at the moon, either in awe or in the kind of distrust that was reserved for anything new and foreign.

Lysander naturally took the lead. The lean boy had purposefully messed up his red hair to give him a fiercer appearance and had torn his white jacket sleeves to resemble a vest. He wore a smug grin on his face as he marched forward facing the horizon unerringly. He strutted like a Baraggan, believing that the world was his by right.

Behind him came the blue-haired Gracia. Her hand was ever on her half-drawn sword. Her eyes darted side-to-side regularly. A distinct air of nervousness radiated from her. She knew that something was wrong. She knew that she should speak up. But if she did then Lysander would slap her again and call her a "Mayuri". However, fear of Lysander did not cease her sense of unease to increase. Then she felt something.

She gasped and turned to her right stopping in her tracks and almost drawing her sword clear of its sheath. The boy behind her was not paying attention and walked right into her. She felt him collide with her and stepped out of the way while he fell. His fall set off a chain reaction of the other Fangs tripping over him and falling except for the green-haired boy who brought up the rear. Their cries of surprise brought Lysander to a stop.

He turned around and growled at the sight of the rest of the Fangs picking themselves up. He glared at the green-haired boy who pointed to Gracia who was pulling the only other girl in the gang to her feet.

"Sorry Helena," Gracia apologized. She released her grip on the black-haired girl's hand as Helena found her feet. Gracia sighed and turned around only to face Lysander glaring at her from the small difference in height.

"REAP IT GRACIA!" he shouted. "HOW MANY TIMES ARE YA GONNA MESS US UP LIKE THIS?"

Gracia blushed with embarrassment. She took a step back and started pressing her fingers together.

"I…I thought…I thought I sensed something…again."

"Tch, Jumpy Mayuri," he leered at her.

"I'M NOT A MAYURI!" she shouted, clenching her hands into fists. Then she saw his eyes darken and she became afraid again. "S-s-sometimes there's stuff…Hollows and…and…and ghosts and…" she said as she wrung her hands together.

"Yeah right. Well, guess what. They haven't killed us yet. I've already killed five and gotten stronger. Mayuri only eat what the rest of us kill," he sneered at her as the other Fangs gathered around, snickering. Gracia's face became even redder from anger and shame.

"Mayuri! Mayuri! Ca-ca-ca Mayuri!" the other Fangs sang.

Gracia sank up to her ankles in the sand. But the constant chanting of, "Mayuri! Mayuri! Ca-ca-ca Mayuri!" caused something inside her to snap. She frowned and rose to stand on top of the sand again.

"THAT'S BECAUSE THEY KEEP CHASING ME!" she yelled in Lysander's face, fury mounting. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUN FOR YOUR LIFE LYSANDER! SIX TIMES NOW I'VE BEEN CHASED OUT OF SIGHT OF THE REST OF YOU! IF I HADN'T LOST THOSE HOLLOWS BY BURROWING UNDERGROUND I WOULD HAVE BEEN EATEN!"

Lysander looked at her in surprise and then he grinned.

"If you weren't such a Mayuri you would have fought instead of running away. Real Arrancars fight and get stronger. Mayuri's run away and stay weak little girls."

"Mayuri! Mayuri! Ca-ca-ca Mayuri!" the other Fangs sang again. Gracia's fists clenched, the veins seemed to pop to her hands' surface. She tilted her head up from viewing the sands to glare at her leader's leering face.

"Lysander…I am not a Mayuri," she whispered as she met his eyes. He rolled his own eyes and leaned down to her. He put the tip of his forefinger to her forehead.

"May-u-ri," he drawled as he gave her a little shove.

She didn't know what possessed her. But that little shove and the way he drawled out "Mayuri" was the straw that broke the Hollow's back.

She punched him in the face sending him stumbling back. There was a collective gasp from the Fangs as Lysander lifted a hand to his bleeding nose. Gracia's hands shot to her mouth and her blue eyes widened in shock and terror as the realization of what she did sank in. Lysander took his hand away from his nose and looked at the blood-stained palm. His mouth gaped in surprise and then shut with a snap. His eyes burned with pure hatred as he glared at Gracia.

"I…I…I…" she stuttered, unable to think of what to say. She could feel his Reiatsu rise.

"You…little…bitch," he whispered.

Then he plowed into her with Sonído. Gracia felt all of the air rush out of her body as she was pushed to the ground with Lysander landing on top her. He pinned her neck under his forearm while the hand grabbed her dominant wrist. Fury blazed in his eyes.

"I'm the boss around here. And you do not hit the boss…you little…Mayuri," he snarled.

"G-g-get…off," Gracia gasped as his weight pressed down on her.

But he didn't get off. Instead, he punched her in the face with his free hand. Her head turned but came away unscathed. He hit her again and again pushing her head into the sands, but her Hierro kept her face relatively unscathed, although there were some bruises starting to form. Still grimacing the girl began to sink into the sands which made him smile even more.

"Yeah…that's right…run into the sands like a real Mayuri. Cry for your mother. Oh…that's right…you don't have a mother. You're just another outcast like the rest of us. NO ONE WANTED YOU AND I DON'T SEE WHY WE NEED YOU NOW!" he yelled into her face.

The other Fangs only stood aside, no longer chanting. They were looking at each other as their collective unease rose.

"He's a Grimmjow," the orange-haired boy whispered, terrified.

Helena looked at her friend as she was sinking into the sand under Lysander's fury. Tears came to her eyes.

"Gracia," she whispered.

"Get…off…me," Gracia whispered.

He spat in her eye. Her right fist shot up and struck him in the ear. He went tumbling sideways, hitting the group of Fangs. Gracia lay on her back on top of the sands. She was breathing hard while a stream of tears ran from her face.

"I want to go home," she whispered as she closed her eyes.

"I told ya these dumb brats can't even feel a proper Reiatsu level," an adult voice snickered.

Gracia's eyes flew open and she sat up straight. The other Fangs looked around and saw that they were surrounded by at least six adults.

"That's what I get for backing a loudmouth," a woman with closely-cropped blonde hair griped.

The adults wore Hollow hides of various cuts, some were long like duster coats and others were more like vests, and one of the males went bare-chested, his well-chiseled torso decorated with light blue tattoos. The women's tunics were cut to reveal a great amount of their cleavage and leave their tattoo-covered midriffs bare. Some of their pants were loose while others were tight enough to nearly hug their skin. But they all wore the same stone medallion hanging from a leather cord around their necks.

The Primeran children could sense that there was something dangerous about them before they even had a chance to look into their eyes.

"Tch…" one of the men with four scars running in a row from just above his left eye well into his hair grunted. His long white Hollow hide coat had a single light blue stripe running along each shoulder. He traced one of the blue-stained scars in agitation and nodded to the others. The others surged their Reiatsu in sync with him. The Fangs collapsed leaving Lysander trembling at his half raised stance. The blonde woman sighed as she walked over to him and kicked him lightly in the side to send him sprawling to the ground.

"HA! By the Great Panther this lot is more pathetic than the Thrall that cleans my cesspit,"  
>the blonde woman said laughing as Lysander moaned.<p>

"So what do we do with these pathetic pieces of shit?" one of the men wearing an open white Hollow hide vest asked.

"They're trespassers," the scarred man said.

"Yeah, but this bunch of filth is unworthy to die by our blades. They no doubt only made it this far by being beneath the notice of the others," the bare-chested Arrancar said.

"Well, we can't just let them go," the other female Arrancar with shortly-cropped black hair with stripes dyed bright blue along the sides said.

"Can I keep the asshole? I always wanted a pet Thrall, but the Jarls hate to sell to us," the blonde asked as she leaned over the moaning Lysander. She traced his chin with a finger and smiled. "Such a pretty toy," she cooed.

The leader only shook his head and turned away from where the blonde was kicking at Lysander's side as he lay on the sand. His focus then turned to the girl on the sand. He walked over to where Gracia laid in the sand with her eyes closed. He cocked an eyebrow when he noticed that her breathing was not that of someone laboring under Reiatsu shock. He grabbed her by the front of her tunic and lifted her into the air. He held her out as though she was a piece of rotting meat that needed to be disposed.

Her eyes opened wide at him with fear. He sneered at her in disgust.

"Please…please…we…we didn't know," she whimpered.

"I don't see how that's my problem," he told her coldly.

He raised his other hand slowly, palm open as though ready to slap her. Gracia swallowed hard and closed her eyes. She turned her face away, preparing for the blow. As a result, she showed the jawbone across her cheek. The blow never came. Instead, she felt herself slipping from numb fingers.

"Commander?" the blonde asked as she looked up from tracing patterns in Lysander's bare chest with her fingers. "What is it?"

"Cordelia, you can play with the trash later. But right now come and look at this," he hissed. He held his medallion and examined the profile likeness of the Great Panther stamped on it. He then grabbed Gracia's head in one hand and turned it to where she was looking sideways. He pulled the medallion over his head and held it out next to Gracia. His eyes darted from the two.

_This can't be right. The hair matches right down to the sacred lock,_ he thought as he looked at Gracia's unkempt hair and the bit that hung out just above the center of the forehead. _If it was just the mask then I would have thought it mere coincidence, but…the facial structure…the chin…even the nose! _

"World Mounting Panther," Cordelia gasped. Comprehension filled her eyes.

"I know. But…but this is impossible," the Commander whispered. "How could this be found among Las Noches trash? Leonidas was killed by the Great Panther's own hand without siring a brood, and as for his brothers and sisters... Well, how can those slain as yearlings produce a brood? But then again…"

"Everything Arrancar came from Las Noches," Cordelia said. "Maybe something was left behind or remained secret from the Great Panther's notice? Perhaps…perhaps Leonidas did sire a brood. The songs say that he was Nelliel's lover."

"But there was no mention in the Prophecies," he objected weakly.

"Well, the Prophecies did say that the Great Panther's return would be unexpected. Maybe it was referring to a reincarnation while we thought they talked about a literal return."

The Commander was silent. His mind whirled with all of the possibilities. He gave a slight nod of his head as he reached a decision.

"We have to take her to Solanssen," he stated.

"We'll have to take the others too. He'll want everything related," Cordelia pressed.

The Commander glared at her from the corner of his eyes and saw the eagerness on her face.

_And I have no doubt you'll be expecting some reward. Perhaps something better than your new found play-pretty,_ he thought.

"Yes, he'll want everything. Cordelia, since you and your pet have become so close, you get to take care of him on the journey home. The rest of you, gather up these desert scum. We're taking them back to Pantera."

As the others bound their prisoners in lengths of cord, the Commander looked at Gracia. His expression darkened. It could be nothing, but he felt like the world was shifting beneath his feet. It was as though the Drums of the Underworld were beating to shake the world. He found it an unpleasant sensation.

_**Elsewhere in Hueco Mundo**_

The four made their way carefully up the slope. Their journey upwards displaced small stones from the places they had rested for gods know how long to tumble down to new resting places where they would remain for gods know how much longer. The wind howled its demonic song and in the distance they could make out the flashes of lightning of an electrical storm blazing across the dark sky. Tatsuki could feel the hair on the nape of her neck stand on end.

"Dust devil," Hanataro said as he stopped to look uneasily at the distant storm.

Tatsuki turned and saw that Hanataro was right. A column of white sand rose from the desert floor in the distance. The combination of lightning and moonlight made the twisting column look like it was made of glittering diamonds.

This was the third such storm they had seen in their journey towards Pantera. She didn't know what to call them and so they had simply referred to them as "Dust devils" after the desert phenomena in the World of the Living. Each time the dust devils came, they had felt the hurricane-like forces of the wind and had to seek shelter behind boulders or dig into the sand to get as far below the wind as possible.

_How can something so beautiful also be so destructive?_ Tatsuki thought as she looked at the storm. It was an oddly comforting sight. She thought that it was because the dust devils broke the emptiness of the ever dark and still sky.

"It would appear as though the storm will not be a threat," Nemu said.

"That's good to know," Ikkaku muttered as he eyed the storm warily.

Tatsuki didn't say anything. Her focus was still on the distant storm and now she saw another column of white sand rise from the desert floor and begin to dance around the already-formed dust devil. Soon, the twisting dust devils looked more like a couple of dancers than mere pillars of sand picked up by the harsh wind whose demonic song moved them.

She felt something inside her relish the beauty and power of this destructive force.

"Commander, are you alright?" Hanataro asked.

Tatsuki shook herself from the trance she had sunk into.

"I'm fine. Regardless of whether or not Nemu's right about the storm staying put, I think we should get going. I would hate to wake up in Oz," Tatsuki said and gave a small smile at her own humor.

"I beg your pardon," Nemu said as she cocked her head.

"Never mind," Tatsuki sighed. "You wouldn't get it. Now, let's get going."

They made their way up the rest of the slope. However, they would have to be careful. Sometimes a loose stone would give way under a foot and send whoever stepped on it tumbling backwards. Other times, a boulder would fall on its own and force them to jump out of its path.

They didn't use Sonído because it would be more of a hindrance with such rough footing. They couldn't walk in the air because the winds would become the equivalent of a motorized walkway, sweeping them in the direction it was going and not in the direction they wanted to go. Plus, taking the easy way went against what they were trained to do. Even Squad 11 knew that some things just couldn't be done when certain factors were present.

At some points on their journey upwards, a gust of wind would suddenly rise and sent sand flying into their faces. From somewhere to their left, Tatsuki thought she could hear the roaring of a rockslide. She looked in that direction, but could only see a cloud of dirt rising from behind a ridge. Hanataro jumped at the sound and cowered next to Nemu who only cocked her head and sniffed the air.

"What are you doing?" Tatsuki asked.

"I am trying to ascertain whether or not that rockslide was caused by a living creature."

"Yeah, well…are we at risk for having a rockslide?" Tatsuki asked.

Nemu looked at the slop ahead. Her eyes seemed to take in every detail and file it into the computation of some internal calculator.

_The again, she was built by Mayuri. I wouldn't be surprised if he wired a calculator into her brain,_ Tatsuki thought.

The purple haired girl looked away and began rubbing her eyes. Tatsuki was curious about that. Nemu had never shown any sign of discomfort of any kind, but she supposed that there was always a point to where a place's arid climate could get to a person. Tatsuki knew that her own eyes were starting to bother her and she would not be surprised if they were bloodshot.

Nemu stopped rubbing her eyes and looked at Tatsuki.

"The possibility of any of us triggering a large rockslide is approximately one in 250. However, we will trigger small rockslides which will only result in smaller rocks traveling approximately 35 to 50 yards downhill," she announced dryly.

"Thanks," Tatsuki sighed and rolled her eyes. She wondered if she could reprogram Nemu not to go into so much detail about her reports.

They continued their ascent until they reached the top. When they reached the ridge's saddle, Tatsuki stopped and looked at the terrain before them

Like most of Hueco Mundo, the land below them was a vast stretch of sand. She could see dim grey mountains in the distance, but there was a lone mountain nearby, standing tall and proud. Her eyes trailed down the mountain and she noticed that as it came near its base it seemed to curve outward in a pair of horns. That was when she noticed the white wall enclosing the city at the base of the mountain. She saw that there was only one entrance into the city that was located where the wall bulged out the most from the mountain. She could barely see the outline of an arc over the gateway. Considering the distance, Tatsuki suspected that the city must be large.

_But it would still be considered a village compared to Las Noches,_ she thought.

Tatsuki looked at the area surrounding the mountain and saw smaller fortifications built around the city. From what she could see they were made of long structures laid out in a perfect square with only one breach to serve as a gate. She wasn't sure, but she thought that they were military outposts to serve as an advance guard against any attack.

"Well, I think that's our destination," Ikkaku said grinning.

"Just remember, we know that the inhabitants here can become hostile if they're provoked," Tatsuki said, thinking about the report on the Holo-Record. "If you do something that gets them chasing our ass, Ikkaku, I swear I will tear you limb-from-limb."

"Yeah, yeah," Ikkaku said. "So…what do we do now?"

Tatsuki sighed and looked back the way they had come. In the far distance she could make out the gleaming dome of Las Noches, looking small and insignificant. It was hard to believe that over 200 years before Las Noches had been one of the most important strategic targets in the Winter War. Now, it might as well be an empty shell that would stand for millennia before being completely buried by the sands.

She sighed and looked towards a city far younger and more vital to her present concerns.

"Well, that should be simple enough," Tatsuki said as she began her descent.

Ikkaku sighed and followed with Nemu and Hanataro following close behind.

The journey down proved to be easier than the ascent. Tatsuki had a feeling that they were being watched and figured that going into Sonído would most likely be taken as a sign that they were a threat. Based on what Tenzo Baarki said on the Holo-Record, she did not want to give the natives a reason to kill them.

She heard someone cry out and stepped aside just in time as Hanataro went tumbling past her. She could hear Ikkaku burst out laughing before he let out a cry of surprise and started tumbling down the hill himself.

"What the…?" Tatsuki began as she watched Ikkaku rolling past her.

"Hanataro slipped on some loose stones," Nemu explained. "It would appear as though Lieutenant Madarame made the same mistake."

Tatsuki shook her head as she made her way carefully down the slope. She kept an eye on the fortifications that she could see, but didn't see much hint of movement.

_But we're being watched,_ she thought.

By the time Tatsuki and Nemu reached the bottom, she could see Ikkaku and Hanataro nursing their bruises.

"Well, it seems as though you two found the quickest way down," Tatsuki said.

"It's a good thing that the Hierro protected us," Hanataro muttered as he stood up, wincing in pain. "Otherwise we might have been more seriously hurt."

"What happened to him?" Tatsuki asked as she pointed to Ikkaku. Ikkaku was too busy pulling out a series of white, crystal-like quills from his thigh to respond right away.

"He…uh…he…"

"I ROLLED INTO A HOLLOW PORCUPINE!" Ikkaku yelled.

Tatsuki looked at him and then burst out laughing.

"So…so now…now you know…exactly…exactly what…what a….what a..." Tatsuki couldn't finish as she burst out into laughter. She thought back to when she threatened to prick him with the quills of the Porcupine back in Octavia. Now he had learned the hard way not to mess with a porcupine.

"Oh hardy-har-har," Ikkaku muttered as he yanked out another quill with a grimace. "I thought that having Hierro skin was supposed to protect us from these kinds of things. That Edorad guy I fought with at the beginning of the Winter War said that Hierro skin was like metal armor."

"May I see one of those quills?" Nemu asked.

"Here, knock yourself out," Ikkaku said as he handed her a quill he had just yanked out.

Nemu looked at it and scratched at it.

"It would appear that these quills have the same consistency of diamonds."

"Really? Do you think they might be worth something?" Ikkaku asked as he looked at the quills on the ground.

"They could be useful for research," Nemu said as she pocketed the quill. "Where was this Hollow porcupine?"

"Eh…somewhere back there, I think," he replied and pointed.

"Thank you," Nemu said as she rushed off.

"What was that about?" Hanataro asked.

"She's probably off to collect some more samples," Tatsuki said as she watched Nemu rush off. But there was something wrong about the whole thing. She didn't know what, but her gut was telling her that something wasn't right.

_**Nemu Kurotsuchi**_

_I need more,_ she thought. _I need more._

The Hollow meat had run out and she needed something to replace it. Nemu had kept her senses open, hoping to find any sign of Hollow life that she could get meat from. And now Ikkaku's accident had given her hope. She reached out with the modified Pesquisa that her Father had enabled her Gigai to perform.

_There you are._

Her mouth became a small and sinister smile as she rushed to where she sensed the meat. She could see the small creature waddling its way up the hill to its burrow. The quills glistened like white stained-glass, but Nemu did not care about being hurt. All that mattered was the relief and ecstasy that came with the meat and blood. The creature sensed her and it turned to face her. The quills became erect and it hissed at her.

"There, there," she whispered to it. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She could feel the itching at her eyes again. Her head throbbed and she felt something chitter in excitement in the depths of her mind. Her smile widened.

The Hollow porcupine sensed that something was wrong, recognizing her smile for the teeth it showed. It hissed as it backed away from the threat. The quills began to quiver. Its bladder let go as it instinctually hoped that the noxious scent would send the predator fleeing.

"Why are you running away?" Nemu cooed. Her mouth began to water as she smelled the creature's piss. "I only want to be your friend."

The Hollow porcupine hissed and the quills darted out into the reaching hand. Nemu ignored the pain the blood leaking through the cracked Hierro. This was all that mattered now. Her hand closed around the creature. More quills dug into her as she tightened her grip. It let out a terrified squeal as Nemu hoisted it from the ground, still keeping her firm grip on it even as it struggled to get free.

"You and I are going to be very, very good friends," Nemu cooed as she brought it close to her.

She held it to where its soft belly was exposed. Her other hand began to stroke it. The porcupine continued to struggle in her grip, but the struggle became weaker as she continued to gently stroke the exposed belly.

"There now, you see. I'm not so bad. Regardless of what Master Mayuri says, I do have friends. And now…" She allowed her hand to dig into the stomach. Black blood gushed from the torn flesh. The creature cried out in dying agony as her fingers dug into the ruined stomach.

"…you're my friend too," she whispered as she brought the steaming entrails to her mouth.

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

"What's taking her?" Tatsuki muttered under her breath.

"Lieutenant Arisawa, I'm worried about Lieutenant Kurotsuchi," Hanataro said. "She…she hasn't been acting…like herself."

Ikkaku chuckled a little guessing the healer had been about to say "normal" only to think better of it.

"Yeah, I…" Tatsuki began frowning.

"I'm sorry that I caused you to worry," Nemu said as she appeared out of Sonído. Hanataro and Tatsuki jumped in surprise.

"Gods damn it," Tatsuki said. "You really need to stop doing that. You nearly scared the crap out of me."

"Oh…I apologize if I frightened you," Nemu said.

"So…did you have any luck finding Ikkaku's friend?" Tatsuki asked.

"I'm afraid that the specimen got away," Nemu said monotonously. "However, we may be having company soon."

"What are you talking about?"

"A group of six Arrancars is coming our way from one of those fortifications. Oh…they arrived a bit sooner than I thought."

There was the sound of Arrancars of coming out of Sonído. Ikkaku tried to reach for his sword, but he was knocked to his back by a woman wearing a pair of Hollow hide trousers and a small vest that covered her small breasts and was held shut by two leather cords tied together with bits of bone handing from the ends. Her exposed midriff was decorated with a tattoo of a prowling blue panther. Her mask fragment was a thin bit of bone just under her jaw with small fangs at the cheeks. Tatsuki looked at the two light blue stripes running along the vest's shoulders and wondered what they signified.

The woman pressed the tip of her rapier against Ikkaku's throat and casually brushed aside a bit of blue-black hair that had strayed in front of her left eye.

Tatsuki looked at the Arrancars who surrounded them. She saw that they were not looking at Hanataro with as much intensity as they did to Nemu, Ikkaku, and herself. However, one would occasionally look at him as if to make sure he wouldn't run off.

_They mustn't view him as a threat,_ Tatsuki thought in relief.

She then noticed that all of the Arrancars had ornate light blue tattoos on their faces or bodies. They each wore a stone medallion around their necks from a leather cord.

"It's wise if you don't try to fight us," the woman said as she looked at Tatsuki. Her grey-lavender eyes looked into Tatsuki's brown. "I assume that you're their leader."

"That's right."

"What Tribe are you from? I know that you're not a Panteran nor are you a Son. And you're intelligent and not some idiotic malformed mutation or brute. I suppose you could be a Triple even though you don't wear the veil."

_Damn it,_ Tatsuki thought. _How do I respond? Damn it all. We need more intelligence on these tribes and their politics. We should have asked more questions in Las Noches. Then again, doing so could have drawn too much attention to ourselves and could have blown our cover. Damn it._

"I'm…from…uh…uh…"

"Your hesitation tells me that perhaps you are Rovers," the woman said. "Pathetic Arrancars displaced by the Great Schism. It's a sad fate to not have a Tribe. Even the stupid Berserkers and the savage Eaters are more fortunate than your kind."

Tatsuki thought she could hear genuine pity in her voice beneath the smugness.

"Come, you are more than welcome to come with us at least to our outpost. I am Asha Mormont, Second-in-Command at Fort Kufang. Who are you?"

"I am simply known as Eurydice," Tatsuki replied. "These are my companions: Judea, Madarame, and…"

"Thrall," Asha said simply when Tatsuki pointed at Hanataro. The other Panterans laughed softly at that. Asha smirked as she looked at Hanataro who gulped and tried to sink into the sand. "I must say though that he's a rather handsome Thrall. I hope he's good at something other than looking pretty." She gave Tatsuki a sly wink. "But enough of that," she said and looked at Ikkaku who was still caught under her foot. She leaned in close to him and smiled.

"So…your name is Madarame. You know, there's a demon in our Histories called that and, like you, he's completely bald. Were you named for him because of that, Baldy?"

"HEY!" Ikkaku shouted. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING 'BALDY'?" Asha's smile widened.

"You're a silly little creature. Do you really think that the best way to look fierce is to try to duplicate a Soul Reaper devil that was able to kill one of the five Great Panther's Attendants? Let me give you some advice. If you want others to fear you, grow a mane. Otherwise, all that we have to do is powder your face and people will think that you're a eunuch…like the real Ikkaku Madarame."

Tatsuki saw Ikkaku redden with fury and shame. She hoped that he wouldn't lash out. But she had a feeling that if he tried then this Arrancar woman would not be easily beaten, to say nothing of the entire group. Ikkaku seemed to know that it wouldn't do any good to fight, so he mumbled something under his breath that Tatsuki figured was not "Have a good evening." Asha must have heard what it was because she just laughed, but was the least bit offended.

"If you need to prove your manhood, then I'll be more than happy to oblige you. But I should tell you that men mistake a dagger for a spear all the time."

Ikkaku grumbled something else under his breath and Asha laughed harder at that. Tatsuki had a feeling that Asha's idea of entertainment included shaming a man where it hurt most.

"Men are so much fun to tease. Wouldn't you agree?" she asked Tatsuki.

"I suppose you're right," Tatsuki said. She was finding herself liking this young Arrancar woman. There was something in the way Asha held herself that spoke of confidence, predatory sensuality, and power.

"Asha, the Commander warned you about becoming too friendly with Outsiders," one of the Panterans, an older-looking man with a mask fragment shaped like a horned helm, said. "Besides, the Commander will want to speak to them."

"Damn. Thanks for reminding me. Alright, let's get moving. Eurydice, you can travel at point with me."

"Why?"

"Let's just say that I really want to find out about what's going on outside the Great Panther's Realm," she said doing her best to hide her enthusiasm.

"Well…I…I don't really know what I can tell you. We haven't really had that much interaction and…" Suddenly an idea came to her mind. "Sure, I'll be more than happy to tell you what I know."

Asha's eyes gleamed and she put a hand on Tatsuki's shoulder.

"Then come with me," she said and led the way.

Tatsuki didn't find out much on the journey to Fort Kufang. Asha didn't give her an opportunity to ask anything. And whenever Tatsuki tried to ask a question, Asha was on to the next before she could ask anything. Before too long, they had reached Fort Kufang.

Tatsuki looked at the twin panther statues standing at attention at the opening. She now realized that the long buildings not only served as a protective wall, but were also the barracks and storehouses for the fort. She noticed that the side of the buildings facing into the courtyard had doorways and windows carved into the stone. Luminescent crystal lined the doorways and windows.

Arrancars dressed in Hollow hides in a variety of cuts and styles marched along the top of the buildings, as though watching for something. A small group sat in front of what must be the kitchen and looked at them as they ate. At the center of the courtyard was a statue of a roaring panther with five figures around it facing outward.

"The rest of your companions can wait by the gate," Asha said. "Simon, give them back their belongings. I doubt they'll try anything foolish in the midst of so many Panteran warriors."

"As you command," Simon, the horned-helmed Arrancar, said as he put down their bags by the entry.

"Eurydice, come with me. I'll take you to the Commander." Tatsuki looked at Ikkaku with a scowl.

"Don't try anything stupid while we're here," Tatsuki whispered. "If you do, I will make you a real eunuch."

Ikkaku only grumbled something about women under his breath as he slouched against the wall.

"I can keep him out of trouble," Simon said as he placed a large hand on Ikkaku's shoulder. "We're about to go into drills. I'm sure that will keep this sorry lot busy."

"Eurydice," Asha said again.

Tatsuki nodded and followed Asha across the courtyard. When they reached the main building at the far end of the courtyard, they climbed a set of stone steps up to a balcony that overlooked the courtyard. Another flight of steps went up to the fortified roof, but her guide did not go to them. Asha stopped in front of a stone door and unleashed a wave of Reiatsu. Tatsuki's eyes widened at how powerful it was and knew that she had made the right decision in not giving her grief.

_These Arrancars are on a completely different level from those in Las Noches, except for Starrk,_ she thought.

There was another burst of Reiatsu coming from inside, as though in response, but this one was even more powerful.

Asha looked at Tatsuki.

"The Fort-Commander will see you," she said and pushed open the stone door, which Tatsuki noticed was the only door.

When she stepped inside, Tatsuki saw that the walls and ceiling were lined with the luminescent quartz. A roaring fire blazed in a hearth on one side of the room. Then she saw the man standing and looking at her from behind a stone desk. His hands were folded behind his back. Tatsuki saw that he wore a long trench coat as opposed to the rag-tag assortment of Hollow hides. His head was completely bald except for the thick sideburns dyed light blue. It should have looked ridiculous, but it did not. His icy-blue eyes were cold and unsettling as they passed over her. His face was stern and deeply lined. His scowl seemed to have become permanently carved on his face.

"Thank you, Second-Commander Mormont. You may leave."

"As you wish, sir," Asha said and gave off a quick salute before walking outside. She closed the door behind her.

Tatsuki looked at the four light blue stripes on the shoulders of his coat and the gold and sapphire buttons of his coat. She looked at the medallion hanging around his neck and then to the ornate medals made of bone and stone and metal that seemed to have been tied to the breasts of his coat by bits of leather.

"I suppose I should be polite to a guest and introduce myself," he said in a cold, rumbling voice. "I am Commander Stannis Tywin Martell, Warden of Fort Kufang. And you are?"

"I am Eurydice…sir."

"What Tribe do you belong to?"

"I'm…a Rover, sir."

The Commander's frown deepened slightly and he went around his desk to walk towards her. His steps were firm and authoritative. Tatsuki knew that this was a man who commanded respect without having to demand it. He put a hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. His scowl deepened, and she found that she couldn't consider knocking away the offending hand.

"Maybe you are and maybe you aren't. Tell me, what are you doing here?"

"I'm…" she began steadily.

"I should warn you that I will know if you lie to me. And if you lie to me again…" He trailed off, but the blaze in his eyes told Tatsuki that the consequences would not be pleasant. He released his hold on her chin and returned the hand to behind his back.

"We are looking for some lost comrades," she told him. Commander Martell said nothing. But his eyes bore into her as though demanding more. "My people have been in isolation. Ever since the Schism we have left the rest of Hueco Mundo alone and we've been mostly left alone in return. A few years ago we sent out a party to see the world and bring back what they learned. None returned," she told him as she selected her words with great care.

_"When in doubt,"_ Sui-Feng's voice said in her mind, _"always tell enough of the truth to satisfy the interrogator and enough lies to mask parts of the truth that you don't want revealed. That is what a good scout does when they gather information or are forced to face an enemy interrogator."_

"I see," he said and released his hold on her. Tatsuki knew that he was considering her words very carefully. "So, you're searching for a band of holdfast Rovers. Well, at least your kind is more civilized than your nomadic cousins. But you're still nothing more than a bunch of inbred cowards hiding in the Borderlands and the Periphery. Where do you call home?" he demanded with a casual but harsh authority.

For a moment Tatsuki was reminded of her mother, both the mother she knew while alive and her adaptive mother. There was no threat and he had not raised his voice but power and intimidation were clear. It was like the brush of a cloak revealing the pommel of a dagger for just a moment.

"I will die before telling a stranger of my home," she answered honestly. The Commander walked closer to her. He held her gaze even as he now stood towering over her.

"Do you think I am no one because I stand at the Borderlands rather than the heart of Pantera? That is how other Tribes evaluate worth: one's proximity to the heart of their domains with contempt for those at the Fringes and the Outside. But that is not our way.

"Our way is the way of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, the Great Panther, and the greatest warrior of the Espada. It is not economic power or ideals that drive us, but the passion of waging war. Panterans hold those at the Borderlands in the highest regard for we stand on the front lines. We are the first to wet our blades with the blood of would-be invaders. We are the first to charge over in invasion against our foes.

"I have held Fort Kufang for nigh on fifty years, Girl. I have held it from the many ambitious challengers from my own ranks and those who hunger for the glory and honor that I have tasted from the city. I follow the road of the One True King: the Panther King. I have ceased to count my battles for my reputation walks ahead of me under the moon. I am the iron wall and the iron fist. I do not waver or crack even before the swarm of Eaters from the mountains or the brutish Berserker wanderers or the horrors of Octavia.

"And you would refuse me an answer here in _my_ fortress," he demanded coldly.

Even though it sounded like a boast, Tatsuki knew that it wasn't. He was reciting his resume just to inform her how deep she was in. And she recognized it as truth. She knew that he believed it and he was not the type of person to speak of delusions of grandeur. His grandeur was earned by his actions and he knew it.

She knew his type. Her own adaptive mother was like him and so she recognized him as the type of Officer one did not keep waiting. And when he wanted an answer he expected you to have it already prepared. And gods help the subordinate who wasn't prepared.

Fortunately she was prepared to answer.

"Do you think I find my life precious? You Panterans seem to think yourselves great warriors, but you aren't the only ones. I was raised by a warrior. I knew how to survive at birth. But she spent years to teach me how to die.

"I don't care much about your politics or even your way of life. My leader may care about those things, but I don't really give a crap. I only care about finding my lost comrades for one of the lost ones is the mate of my best friend. And I promised to bring her back to him alive. I would rather die than live by having you make me break my promise to him." She met his steel gaze with her own. Martell gazed back at her impassively.

"I think I understand. You wanted this friend for yourself. Perhaps you still do. Yet you would bring back the rival who defeated you rather than using loving comfort to gain your desire," he said flatly. Tatsuki recoiled as if struck.

_NO! No one knows that. Not even Orihime knew,_ Tatsuki thought. Anger at the exposure of a secret that she had nearly forgotten herself stopped her guard in a way that would both enrage her and be thankful for. She was thankful because it seemed having unearthed her deepest secret Stannis assumed her other secrets would be in a similar vein. _Thank the gods for screwed-up priorities,_ she would think later.

But for the moment she was regaining her composure despite her extremely red face. She was surprised that she was actually able to say anything without blurting it out in a non-cohesive babble.

"She's a pretty girl, small in stature and chest. She is very fair-skinned with mostly black hair save for a white streak. Her mask fragment is the beak of a bird over her nose trailing to touch her eyes. She has a calm demeanor that conceals a violent temper. She would have been travelling with a group of warriors and scholars."

"I see. I should inform you, Girl, that I examine all who pass through my domain, dead or alive. And I forget nothing. I have never seen this woman you seek.

"However, I did receive orders to detain a woman matching that description. But the order was brief and never elaborated on. I do not know how or if the matter was settled."

Tatsuki nearly panicked at what Stannis said, but it only verified what she already knew. The important thing was that Rukia had apparently avoided Stannis Tywin Martell.

_And if she had to make a last stand she would not have been so soon forgotten,_ she thought. _These Panterans strike me as the type who honor and remember courage. And they would want such tales to spread in order to ensure their soldiers become even more courageous in battle._

"I know that you are keeping things from me," Martell continued. Tatsuki swallowed hard as she faced his hard gaze. "But the secrets of a Rover, regardless of how impressive she may be, do not interest me. I will let you pass. My reason is two-fold. First, I can tell that you are no threat to Pantera. And second, you put duty before your own desire. Even among Rovers such honor is to be respected."

Tatsuki could tell that there was another reason, but she supposed it did not matter. Instead, she watched him walk to his desk and pull out a drawer. He withdrew a wax tablet and a stylus. She watched in fascination as he carved a series of numbers into the tablet and then he withdrew a seal and stamped the wax surface. He looked at it and nodded before handing it to her.

She noticed that the seal he stamped in the bottom right corner was of a roaring lion's head with a mane of fire with a spear behind it with the spearhead up. Around the image were the words "ROARING WITH PRIDE."

"This will grant you passage into Pantera for a time. I do not give you my blessings. You have not proven yourself worthy of that. But you have my approval to pursue this errand. And we will see if your will survives the Panther's Den."

He sat behind his desk and waved for her to leave.

Tatsuki got her face back under control and gave him a quick nod. He didn't return it. Angry and grateful she left resisting the urge to slam the door. As she left she saw Asha's grinning face in front of her as though she had been waiting. She managed not to punch it.

_**Gracia**_

Gracia did her best to suppress her body's desire to give in to utter panic. They stood in the courtyard. She looked at the building ahead of her and swallowed. She knew that she was in front of some kind of palace since she had seen such structures in Las Noches, even though many had fallen into ruins. She looked at the tall stone wall carved with a prowling panther under a crescent moon above the main doorway. Silver-leafed ivy crawled up the sandstone walls. She looked at the carved panthers' heads that topped the pillars and felt as though those stone beasts would come to life at any moment to devour her.

She turned away and looked to where the Fangs stood, watched over by Cordelia who was rubbing Lysander's shoulders. Her eternal smile set off alarms in her head. The Unit Commander stood behind her. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder.

She knew that his hand being there was a threat. She had felt its strength and knew he could shatter her Hierro skin and bones with very little effort.

_I want to go home,_ she thought. _I don't care if I have to clean the cesspits of Las Noches for the rest of my life. I just want to be safe under the sun again._

She then noticed a man sweeping the paved courtyard. He did not radiate a sense of being dangerous like the other savages. Instead, his face was down as if not daring to look at anyone. And for their part, her captors did not seem to see him. If she was offered then she would gladly switch places with that ragged man in an instant.

"Please, I just want to go home," she told her captors. Her captors didn't say anything. "Why did you bring me here? What do you want with me?"

She was answered by a sudden weight in the air that pressed down on her with lazy hostility. It wasn't as vast as the pressure she had felt whenever she strayed too close to the Tower of the Sleeping King, but there was a menace here that had been absent in the heart of Las Noches.

_**Gotran Solanssen**_

The Steward frowned as he reached the outer court of the Steward's villa. The gate guard had given him the brief message to indicate a matter of great importance. And he had come. It was true that he had been bored but he considered his time valuable even if he was wasting it himself.

But he detested others wasting his time. And seeing his strange niece and her surly boss with a bunch of Thralls darkening his doorstep reeked of wasted time. He scowled as he approached.

"You said you had a matter of utmost importance, Thane. For your sake you had better not be wasting my time."

The Unit Commander visibly repressed a nervous swallow. The threat was transparent. Cordelia, of course, wasn't intimidated. Solanssen thought that getting killed by someone of his class was most likely her preference of death.

"Mighty Steward, we bring a gift for you from the Sands," Cordelia said as she bowed her head. She stroked the red-haired head of one of the Thralls that his Reiatsu had brought to the ground.

That was when he noticed that they weren't Thralls. Their clothes were wrong for any caste among the Thralls. And their foreheads were unmarked.

"These scavengers from the Sand may please a noble who's seeking free Thralls. But they are beneath even my contempt. Explain yourselves before I decide that you are wasting my time," Solanssen growled.

Cordelia smiled wider as her Commander pulled up the face of the girl he was holding and turned her to the side to show her face in profile.

"My Lord, I beg you to look at her," he pleaded.

The Steward looked at the girl and his frown deepened. He blinked once and then his dark grey eyes widened. There was no need to check his medallion. He knew those features too well from the many pieces of art in his home and the Panther's Den at the top of the stairs that led up the mountain.

"That's impossible," he muttered. For the first time since the Eater Swarm had gotten into the Panther's Domain he was at a loss of words. But, like back then, it didn't last long.

He walked forward with hair trigger restraint and grabbed the girl. She looked up into his eyes and he saw still more proof in her blue eyes.

_But she's so weak,_ he thought. _No, not so weak._

He saw that even though she trembled like any yearling, she did not collapse even as he released more localized pressure. And her Hierro was holding when it should have shattered. He could sense that her Reiatsu was suppressed, but it was still there. He turned his attention to the others and sent out a pulse that made Cordelia stagger a little. The weaklings collapsed, vomiting from the physical pressure he was putting on them. He lowered his Reiatsu levels and turned to the face the Unit Commander.

"This is a great gift indeed," Gontran Solanssen said. "You will be well-rewarded for this and your shoulders shall bear the rank from two stripes instead of one."

"Thank you, Lord," the Commander said and bowed.

Solanssen swept the girl into his arms bridal style. He was already thinking of what to do with her. But he would have to have the scholars and priests administer the tests first. And then there would be questions.

"What of the others?" Cordelia asked.

Solanssen nearly ordered her to kill them. But they might have some use. And after all, they were the girl's companions and so she probably had some attachment to them.

_And the last thing I need is to do something to bring down the Destructive Fist of the Great Panther down on my head._

"Take them to the Thrall District. Have them branded before the hour is out," the Steward said. "Thane, fetch the priests and scholars. I will summon you to bring the rest of your unit later to grant them a boon."

"Can I have the ginger?" Cordelia asked and pointed to the red-haired Thrall-to-be whom she had been rubbing earlier.

"I don't see why not," Solanssen said rolling his eyes. He turned, already forgetting them. The tests awaited but he was certain what this girl was. But what did her appearance mean? It could change nothing or it could change everything.

"Please, I want to go home," the girl whispered around watery eyes.

The Steward of the Great Panther looked down at her and smiled.

"My dear, you are home," he said as they stepped inside.

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

Tatsuki looked in awe at the wall rising before them. It was not the bland white of the outer wall of Las Noches and it was not the black steel of Octavia. It was the light tan-white of stone. It seemed to glimmer with the moonlight, like the sands from which it was made. Atop either side of the single breach, two great stone panthers reared up in combat. Their struggle to rip out the other's throat, captured forever in stone, seemed to form an arc.

_The craftsmanship is a lot finer than what I expected from Grimmjow's people,_ Tatsuki thought. _However, the imagery seems to match what we've heard about him._

Panteran warriors dressed in their Hollow hides or old uniforms that their forefathers must have taken from Las Noches during the Great Schism kept watch on the wall and on either side of the gate. Tatsuki noticed that the only ones who wore any kind of metal were those dressed in long trench-coats with light blue stripes on the shoulders. And based on how one female Arrancar dressed in a trench-coat with three light blue stripes along the shoulders and iron armlets was barking out orders, Tatsuki guessed that the coat was the equivalent of an Officer's uniform.

_If that's the case, then the blue stripes are most likely used to signify an officer's rank,_ she thought.

As they got closer to the entrance, the soldiers on the wall and on the ground began to pay more attention to them. The female Officer eyed each of them carefully, except for Hanataro whom she only gave the most cursory of glances before looking back to Tatsuki.

"Halt, Outsiders, you are approaching the Sacred City of the Great Panther. Have you been given leave to enter?" the Officer demanded.

"Uh…yeah…we have," Tatsuki said as she dug out the pass that Martell gave her. "We have permission from Commander Stannis Tywin Martell of Fort Kufang."

The Officer gave a slight start at that and there was a murmur from those around her.

"SILENCE YOU SAND-KITTENS," she roared and they fell silent. She took the pass and looked at it, turning it over in her hands. "Well, I suppose that means that you had a run-in with my little sister as well."

"Your…sister…do you mean Asha Mormont?" Tatsuki asked seeing little resemblance. However, it seemed as though the Arrancar viewed adoption nearly on the same level as blood ties. But after Octavia she was not prepared to say the Tribes would have much in common with each other.

_But wasn't that the point of the first expedition? It was to figure out exactly what the Arrancars have done and become after they were left to their own devices,_ Tatsuki thought.

"That's her. How that runt got lucky enough to be stationed at a border fort is beyond me," she growled as she read the numeral code.

_So, Martell was right. These people really do hold those stationed near the border in high regard. I thought that was just something they said to keep those on the fringes happy,_ Tatsuki thought. _I wonder what Central 46 would make of that._

"Well now, so you're looking for that group that made such a ruckus a few years ago," the Officer said smiling.

Tatsuki gave a start at that.

"You…you know of them?"

"Why do you think I'm here serving as a glorified doorman?"

_I suppose it's because your predecessor was fired for letting them escape,_ Tatsuki thought but did not say.

"Well, at least I earned a stripe for killing one of their fighters," she said rather proudly. "He was good, but I, Commander Olivier Nymeria 'The Iron Wall' Mormont, was better." She glared at Tatsuki as though daring her to say anything against her actions.

"So…uh…what did…did they do?" Tatsuki asked, doing her best not to let the glare of those cold, dark blue eyes get to her.

"They mocked the Great Panther," Olivier said flatly as she ran a hand through her platinum blonde hair. "They should have known better. If one mocks the Great Panther in His den, then they shouldn't be surprised when they get scratched from brow to groin. I trust that you're not foolish enough to make the same mistake."

Tatsuki looked at Ikkaku and saw that he was nodding his head in approval. It was obvious that he understood where Olivier Mormont was coming from. The fact that this woman had killed on of his fellow Squad 11 members in combat only seemed to impress him more. Hanataro looked frightened and she couldn't blame him. Nemu…was just being Nemu.

"You may enter," Olivier said, but then pointed at Hanataro. "But the Thrall may not. There is no place for weakness in Pantera. Julius, find some Thralls to escort this one to his proper place. If you can't find a Thrall, then just use a Healer who isn't busy. Aside from aiding the Breeders recover or prepare them for the mating ritual they're of little use. However, if even the Healers are occupied, then escort him yourself."

The young Arrancar male whom Olivier was addressing was about to say something and was only met with a cold stare. Julius jumped to attention and saluted.

"As you wish, Commander Mormont," he said before rushing away in a burst of Sonído.

"Tch…fetching Thralls is all that the new recruits are good for until they've gotten a couple of actual battles under their belts," Olivier growled. She handed the pass back to Tatsuki who was looking at her in surprise. "And all that you Outsiders are good for is getting in our way and causing trouble. If I hear that you or anyone else in your group has done something to cause us to hunt you down, then I will hunt you down, even to the Underworld. Is that understood, Outsider?"

"Yes," Tatsuki said carefully.

Nymeria scowled and her Reiatsu uncoiled slightly.

"That's too bad. I could use a diversion from mere sentry duty."

Tatsuki didn't respond. Instead, she led Ikkaku and Nemu under the arcing statues.

She was glad that the square behind the gateway was deserted. It seemed that people did not linger here when they were either going into the city or going to their posts at the wall. She led Ikkaku and Nemu to a far corner where a warehouse seemed to have had an entire corner taken out in order to form the edge of the square.

Tatsuki still felt something insider her chest continue to growl at Hanataro being practically hauled away like a piece of luggage. Even with him giving that nod of acceptance to her and the lack of hostility from the Panterans beyond them being pompous assholes, it irritated her. Her teammate may not be in any real danger but he was not to where she could keep an eye on him.

_They shouldn't touch my stuff without my permission,_ she thought. Tatsuki's eyes narrowed a little in confusion at the thought.

_Wait, am I seriously considering Hanataro to be "my stuff"? What the Hell is that about?_

She was shocked that she actually considered Hanataro to be nothing more than a mere piece of property. She never viewed anyone in that way before.

_Damn it, I'm starting to sound like one of those domineering sociopaths. Hanataro's not a piece of furniture, he's a person,_ she thought.

"So…what now?" Ikkaku asked as he and Nemu huddled close to her. Tatsuki shook her head, hoping to clear it.

"We should split up," Nemu said before Tatsuki had a chance to say anything. Tatsuki looked at her, somehow able to conceal her surprise. It wasn't so much that Nemu suggested it, but it was the tone of her voice. Tatsuki could detect some heat to the suggestion that, for any normal human being, would have been fairly normal if a bit eager. However, Nemu wasn't exactly normal. In fact, that heat felt like something that didn't belong.

"Are you sure that's a wise move? With a city this potentially hostile I was thinking that we should stick together," Tatsuki answered casually. She looked at Nemu with hawk-like intensity. And for a brief instant, Tatsuki thought she saw the corner of Nemu's right eye twitch slightly. But it was so quick and subtle that Tatsuki wasn't sure that she had seen it at all.

_Maybe it's just my mind playing tricks with me,_ she thought.

"Yes, but it is for that reason that we mustn't linger here," Nemu pressed. "We can gather more data and depart sooner if we split up."

"I don't care either way," Ikkaku said as he fidgeted with his sword. Tatsuki felt that Ikkaku was so oblivious to anything out of the ordinary that a hippo in a pink tutu could have danced past him and he wouldn't have even noticed.

"Fine, you can go on your own if you like. Ikkaku and I will stick together and gather as much intelligence as we can. I would also like you to see if you can find out where Yamada was taken to," Tatsuki said. Nemu nodded and Tatsuki felt a shiver when she saw the slight upward curve at one corner of Nemu's mouth. Even though it was very small and very quick, Tatsuki was sure that it had been there.

"Thank you, I shall find him," Nemu said as she took a few steps backwards.

"Judea, before you go," Tatsuki said.

"Yes?" Nemu asked and looked at her.

"I'm giving you a direct order. Don't do anything that could put us in jeopardy. Is that clear?"

Nemu cocked her head slightly and nodded.

"Yes. The mission comes first," she replied and began to walk down one of the side streets before Tatsuki had a chance to say anything else.

Tatsuki frowned as she watched Nemu go. She couldn't quite pinpoint what caused her increasing unease around the stoic Lieutenant of Squad 12. As far as she was concerned Nemu was just being her usual self. However, there was something in Nemu's tone that seemed to hint that she was up to something more than merely gathering intelligence and specimens for her "Father" or that she was just going to look for Hanataro. There was some other motive.

_Well as long as it doesn't interfere with the mission,_ Tatsuki thought, _or put all of our lives in jeopardy then I won't have to do anything. It's unfortunate that every Squad has its secrets, especially Squad 12. Well, Squad 11 doesn't really have any secrets. With them what you see is what you get._

"Well, Commander, what are we gonna do now?" Ikkaku asked turning her attention from her inner thoughts.

"Well, since Judea…"

"Who's Judea?"

Tatsuki stomped on his foot in agitation prompting a curse from him. She gestured in the direction that Nemu went to remind him.

_Honestly, can't he remember, for once, that we're undercover?_

"Oh…that's right," Ikkaku said as he rubbed his foot.

"As I was saying, since Judea is off to find Yamada, we can have a look around."

Tatsuki looked down the long broad main avenue of Pantera. She could see that it was lined with uniform buildings of flat-roofed houses whose line was broken up after every six doorway into a side street. She figured that these houses were more like apartments or military housing. She looked at the wall that surrounded the city and again noticed how strong it looked.

_I think I might actually come to like this place._

Indeed, the more she thought of it, the more she felt that this place gave off the same air as the Gotei Squad barracks, especially the barracks of Squads 2 and 11. This atmosphere spoke of strength and precision: the very things that she valued. But there was something else that lied beneath the surface of this seemingly civilized city. Like with Octavia and Las Noches, she was certain that something was lurking out of casual sight. She couldn't quite place it except that she recognized that it was like a great beast lying under the surface of a lake waiting for the unwary to step foot into the cool water.

She knew that she would have to keep her senses opened. She looked again at her surroundings, taking in as many details as she could.

_The city is named Pantera in honor of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez,_ Tatsuki thought. She looked at how organized the city seemed to have been laid out. _The societies in Octavia and Las Noches modeled themselves after their patron Espada. In that regards, Grimmjow's city could only be a martial state. However, I couldn't see him organizing something like what Stannis has going on. All reports on Grimmjow indicated that he's too wild and chaotic to really organize anything. Even a kid's birthday party would be difficult for him to organize._

Tatsuki felt her frown deepen. She stuffed both hands into her pockets as they walked. The streets were oddly deserted. But ahead of them they could hear the sounds of shouting and the pulsing beats of drums. Tatsuki bit her lower lip.

_Please, don't be another slave auction,_ she prayed. She knew that she would stand by and do nothing as duty required. But she also knew that it would kill something inside her each time she did so. She had always been a person of action. Sui-Feng had called that her greatest strength and her greatest weakness.

_Now I understand a little of what she meant,_ Tatsuki thought. _A person's greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. And being a person of action makes me feel vulnerable whenever I have to stand aside and do nothing._

That thought made her Inner Dragon rumble in her chest. She released the pressure it made with a sigh.

Ikkaku glanced at her as they walked down the main road that led straight ahead.

"So…we just keep walking to where those sounds are coming from?"

"I don't see why not," Tatsuki replied with a shrug. "We don't know where we should go. Sneaking around for no reason would just ask for trouble. And besides, those drums and shouts may indicate some kind of gathering. And if you want to hide a tree, you do so in a forest."

As they continued walking down the main road, Tatsuki found that she was coming to like this city. Despite the danger lurking beneath the surface it felt so much better than the others. Octavia had been like going through an insect hive with its residents crawling over her. Las Noches had been sad and lonely, a city long past its prime and trying to cling to the glory days of a past long gone and never to return. But Pantera…Pantera felt alive and healthy whatever else it proved to be.

"Something to trade?" a male voice called out. The two spies in disguise stopped and glanced up to one of the rooftops to their left to see a male Arrancar perched on the roof with his legs dangling in the air. His long white jacket was undone to reveal a plum-colored vest over a blue shirt. He had an olive-colored scarf wrapped around his neck. His shoulder-length black hair was messy and somewhat greasy. His dark eyes had a mischievous shine to them.

"What?" Tatsuki demanded.

"Trade, verb, defined as being an exchange of goods between two or more parties," he said. "In an ideal world, a trade would benefit all parties involved. But, alas, we don't live in an ideal world and so trade all but often is to the benefit of one.

"Your look of surprise tells me 'No'. Normally foreigners such as your selves are here to escort some trader or some dignitary. You have nothing to trade and you don't dress like an ambassador's guard. That begs the question: why are you here?" the man asked as he drew a thin stone tablet out of the pouch at his side.

"Why do you ask, Panteran?" Tatsuki rebutted.

"Ah, a question for a question, and an answer for an answer, eh?

"I am a scholar who has been tasked with anything from bean-counting to crafting ballads and epics of war and warriors. A man of learning seeks noteworthy matters to set in stone, and while sitting here contemplating a routine report of the Ceremony, I saw something interesting passing by.

"It is the Panteran way to reach out and take what we want. So I ask my question and I shall answer yours. This Panteran's name is Lucas Sefton," he said with a bow. "I have the pleasure of being a warrior, scholar, poet, and gentleman Jarl. And I have the pleasure of being at your service oh porcupine-haired beauty of the sands."

"Uh…okay..." Tatsuki said and looked at Ikkaku who was trying his best not to burst out laughing. "So…uh…I'm looking for some lost friends and…" She saw the Panteran's mouth draw into a smile that looked as if it might stretch from ear to ear.

They watched as the Panteran pressed his feet against the building and launch into the air. He somersaulted in the air as he fell and struck the pavement in front of them boots first in a thoughtful pose.

"We just meet the most interesting people don't we?" Ikkaku chuckled.

"Indeed," Lucas replied. "We do meet people who become more interesting by the moment. Yet, a man has to be off to his duty. Would you care to accompany while I go about my own? What is dull to one may be bright to others and enjoyment is nothing if not contagious."

"Where would we be going?" Tatsuki asked. She had learned in Octavia to become suspicious of anyone who offered to take them anywhere. She had thought of why Dorian Narciss hadn't just lured them into a trap but could never come up with a good answer. She had her suspicions, but the more she thought on them the more questions they raised.

"I'm taking you to where the people are: the Festival of Sowing. It is the Celebration of Beginnings." His smile faded as he took on a more solemn tone. "We remember the past as we prepare for the future."

Tatsuki looked at Lucas in honest surprise.

_Arrancars have festivals?_

The thought filled her mind with curiosity even beyond her assignment. From the way his tone had become solemn she supposed that this "Festival of Sowing" was of the religious variety. But even religious festivals could be joyous occasions.

_Gods know that there's very little true joy in this world,_ Tatsuki thought. _The thought that Arrancars could have festivals never occurred to me. I suppose I've heard too much of The Vanguard's anti-Arrancar propaganda._

"A festival eh," Ikkaku muttered. "What exactly is involved?"

Tatsuki looked at Ikkaku in surprise. He had actually taken the initiative to actually gather intelligence! Would wonders never cease?

"Well, before the main ceremony begins, the arena needs to be prepared. After all, 'Strong grounds make for a strong crop,' as the saying goes," Lucas said. Tatsuki was confused about that. She didn't know much about farming, but she was pretty sure that rocky soil was not ideal growing ground.

_Maybe it's a metaphor for something else,_ she thought and felt heat rise in her face at the thought. Fortunately Lucas went on, distracting her from such thoughts.

"We do this by holding a variety of competitions to represent each of the four High Panteran Virtues," Lucas continued, eager to share this information with these strangers. "The first competition is a series of races. The second is a series of fencing competitions. The third has our brave Panteran Thanes enter into the arena to fight and kill some of the Eater abominations. The final event is a show of strength. Is there any better display of strength than wrestling a Panteran?"

_It sounds almost like the Olympics,_ Tatsuki thought. _It seems as though each Tribe is determined to go against my expectations._

"Sounds like fun," Ikkaku said grinning. "Can anyone participate?"

"Oh yes," Lucas said smiling. "We permit visitors to participate to show them that we Panterans can beat their asses." He burst out into laughter at that. "We rarely get anyone who is eager to try their hand though."

"Well, we would at least like to see this Festival," Tatsuki said warily.

"I'm sure you do. However, the main ceremony is for Panterans only or for those Outsiders who are deemed worthy to witness the holy event. But there's no harm in seeing the opening games. Indeed, it's all for the best for the glory of Pantera to be better known. Please, follow me."

Lucas began to walk down the road towards the statue that stood at the far end of the road. Tatsuki looked at Ikkaku whose grin was becoming even wider the closer they got. She did not like the look in his eyes. However, if he could participate then she would let him. Gods knew that he needed a way to relieve some of his pent-up aggression, especially after Maki-Maki. And it was better than having him take it out on Hanataro, as he usually did, or for him to keep it bottled-up to fester to the bursting point.

_I hope Hanataro's alright,_ Tatsuki thought as she followed the Panteran. _I would hate to have to face his "Mother" if anything happened to him._

For a moment, Tatsuki thought she could feel Captain Unohana standing right behind her, smiling down at her.

There were some horrors that she very much doubted Hueco Mundo could match.

_**Hanataro Yamada**_

Hanataro had been surprised to find that he was fairly good at Sonído. Aside from any skills that were related in any way to the healing arts he had become accustomed to being bad at most things to various degrees.

The only problem he found about Sonído was that it made for a poor ride. And that was putting it mildly. If you were the one driving you could keep track of things depending on the level of your skill. But if someone dragged you into Sonído then the world was reduced to nothing but a blur.

And in poor Hanataro's case, it resulted in motion sickness at times.

His journey with the young Panteran warrior was easily the roughest he had experienced in Sonído. As the world came back to focus the Panteran had even tossed him into the air. He landed face first in the sands and did his best to keep from vomiting. Unfortunately, it was a battle he lost and when he was able to get his head up, it was covered with the vile substance.

He pulled out a rag from his sleeve to wipe his face clean only to be kicked in the back. The Arrancar warrior leered down at him in a combination of satisfaction, disgust, and self-assurance rooted in a bully's vanity. Hanataro knew the look all-too-well. It was the look of Squad 11. And he knew not to try to meet it.

"Hah! Isn't that just typical? Even with filth across it you've still got a girl's face! You hang out here with the rest of the trash, Thrall, until your lady collects you. You better hope she doesn't forget you or you'll get a nice new brand. Either that or it'll be the pits," the Panteran taunted before he burst into laughter. A burst of static announced his departure. Hanataro sighed in relief.

He remembered that Ichigo would sometimes talk to him about standing up to bullies. But those brave words were for those who could actually back them up. According to Hanataro it was a sad fact that Fate picks its favorites and its doormats. And he was Fate's doormat and there was nothing he could do about it except make the best of it.

Wiping his face clean with the help of bursts of Reiatsu, Hanataro got to his feet to see where he had been dumped.

He stood before a row of curving buildings. They had no windows and made him think that it was a wall for a moment. But he thought that it looked too weak and flimsy to be a wall. He could see areas that had been reduced to rubble and reassembled with carelessness. He noticed that at some parts there were sand banks that either sloped against the wall or had actually tumbled inward, filling the gap with soft sand instead of hard stone. From what he could see, this area came very close to the main Panteran walls.

He saw that parts of the wall before him were so uneven as to provide a series of rough handholds that could be used to get to the top if he needed to. He went into a burst of Sonído and stopped when he reached the roof. His eyes widened as he looked out over the Thrall District.

It was a roughly circular complex composed of what must be living areas that ranged from very that were multi-storied to mere huts, and storehouses. Some of the structures were in relatively good condition with only slight signs of erosion. But many were in such a state of disrepair that it looked as if a single kick would send them falling. Some of the structures looked to be nothing but a pile of rubble with bits of fabric that must have been Hollow hides draped on them to give their residents some level of privacy. He could see that the windows for the structures were covered with thin and tattered Hollow hides.

The roads between the structures were extremely narrow and twisted about like the labyrinth of the Minotaur. At the very heart of the Thrall District was a small plaza with a crumbling fountain filled with brown water at the center. He could make out a pair of massive puddles that spread from the fountain that must have been leaking and had covered nearly half of the open space.

He closed his eyes and went over to one of the areas where the wall had collapsed. When he looked through the gap he was surprised to see that he was looking into what must have once been a kitchen of some kind with only a small stone hearth and a couple of stone jars in one corner left on that floor. He could see the pile of rubble far below and the sand starting to fill the first story residence. It reminded him of photos of those long dead ghost towns in the Sahara or in the Mojave being reclaimed by the sands.

"Well, only one way to go," he whispered as he faced forward and walked towards the edge.

He stepped off of the wall and his quick descent told him that this place was even worse than he thought. He walked forward and looked around him, taking in the decrepitude around him.

The narrow street was covered in sand that rose higher in the alley ways, almost choking them. But this sand wasn't the clean white sand that covered Hueco Mundo. This was stained into grey and there were splotches of darker shades. And there were clumps that were not sand at all but lumps of something petrified.

Some of the alleys were completely choked with rubble and he could see Hollow hides hanging in front of entrances to spaces in the rubble large enough to be used as shelter.

Then the stench hit him and it stopped him in his tracks. It was the smell of filth and decay, cheap alcohol and smoke, shit and piss and cum brought together into a noxious perfume. And underneath it was another scent. It was a scent he was all-too familiar with. It was the scent of despair.

As vertigo seized him he clapped his hand over his mouth and nose to shut out the stench. It helped, but not much.

"HEY!" someone cried out in irritation. Hanataro looked up and saw a blonde Arrancar woman with a row of teeth on her brow leaning out from a hole in a wall, looking at him. Her bare breasts hung heavily as she leaned out. Her teeth were rotting and her lips were black while the skin of her surrounding her mouth had a bruised look. Most of her skin was a sickly yellow and her eyes were bloodshot. She took a swig from a stone jug she was holding and squeezed a large breast with her free hand. "WANNA FUCK?"

Hanataro was back on top of the wall in a burst of Sonído. He was panting and his eyes were wide with fear.

_Too close,_ he thought as he tried to catch his breath. _It's too close. Sand instead of mud but still…still…still…_

_**Drowned Rat, Sometime Before the Winter War**_

_ The stench from the trash and shit that ever clogged the river rose into the afternoon of the Rukongai District known only as Drowned Rat to the inhabitants. Prostitutes leaned form windows or stood at alleys with their calls of pleasure. The grunts and screams that came from their trade rose from darkened alleys and the brothels._

_ Drunken men and women staggered in the street singing bawdy songs. A bored-looking prostitute was slitting one of the drunk's throats and tucked his coin purse into the valley between her large breasts as he bled out. A knot of red-faced men cheered as their comrade ravished the corpse of a dead woman. _

_ The District Bosses met in back alleys with the Soul Reapers sent from the Seireitei to monitor the outer districts and money changed hands. While some of the other Soul Reapers quickly left others would stay to go to any one of the many opium dens or brothels or beckon to one of the children who would be standing just outside of the entrances to the brothels and give them a mon in exchange for getting on their knees and accepting what they were given. _

_ The cries of children being dragged into the brothels by their parents or other relatives to be sold was as common as the dead corpse floating in the river._

_ But that did not stop people from the safer districts or even the Seireitei from coming to indulge in their darker desires. And they were ripe pickings for the hordes of pick pockets and cut-purses and cut-throats who lurked in their midst. And he was one of the pick pockets._

_ He had no name. He only wore the rags on his back. His life was composed of nothing but lurking in the shadows, stealing what he needed, avoiding the Gobblers, and surviving. At night he would sleep under the bamboo floors beneath any number of taverns or opium dens or brothels. And he would hear the cries as the Gobblers found more future prostitutes while he was showered by piss and alcohol and blood._

_ Like the others who lived in Drowned Rat, he just accepted this as being the way things were and did the best he could not to get trampled. But that didn't mean he liked it. Instead, he wanted his suffering to end._

_ "Soon," he would always whisper to himself as the winters fast approached. "One day, it'll get so cold that I'll just fall asleep and never wake up. It's happened. It happened to that kid who used to live under the docks. It'll happen to me and then I'll truly be free."_

_ But each winter it was the same story. He would hope to freeze to death. He would hope to just fall asleep and enter the never-ending dream. But in the end, the instinct to survive proved the stronger. When he became tired, his body and mind would disobey his desire to just give in. In the end they would always find a corpse, frozen in whatever position they had gone to sleep in. But it would always be someone else's and not his._

_Whenever he tried to tie a noose or sink a sharp broken piece of pottery into his wrist the instinct to survive would kick in and he would become afraid. Sometimes he would try, but something would always go wrong. _

_ And each day would be the exact same cycle: waking up, rummaging through the garbage for scraps or something pretty to sell, avoiding the Gobblers, stealing what he could in order to survive, finding someplace safe to hole up for the night. He had no real home to go to. He had no one to tell him a bedtime story. He had no one to help him wash the ever-caking layers of dried mud and shit and blood off of him. He only had himself._

_ He had almost been caught once. _

_ It had been on an autumn day when it happened. He was eating a loaf of bread he had managed to steal from one of the brothel's kitchens when the man approached him._

_ "Hello there," someone said._

_ He looked up and saw the man looming over him. The man was dressed completely in black and had a Zanpakuto by his side. And around his arm was some kind of badge held by a band of white cloth wrapped around his forearm. The only thing he could make out was the kanji for 11. The man's face was completely obscured by shadow._

_ He shrank back. No good came out of being noticed. It was a fact of life._

_ "Don't be scared little fella. I won't hurt you."_

That's what they all say_, he thought. He thought of the number of times he heard the grownups saying that to the children of the slums and some had said it while offering candy. He knew what happened to them. He had seen it happen time and time again. _And anyone who says that is a liar.

_ "I bet you're hungry. Would you like something to eat? I know some nice people who have plenty to eat. I was heading there when I saw…"_

_ That was more than enough. He knew what this man was. He had heard similar lines before, but had never thought that he would have to face one of them. He got up and ran._

_ "GET BACK HERE!" the man yelled._

_ He didn't slow down. He could hear him giving chase and knew that if he didn't get someplace safe fast then he would be caught._

_ "HEY! I GOT ONE! CUT HIM OFF!" the man roared and more feet joined in. "CUT HIM OFF YOU FUCKING IDIOTS! HE'S GOTTA BE WORTH 400 MON AT LEAST!"_

THE GOBBLERS! THE GOBBLERS!_ His mind yelled those two words over and over again. Those two words kept him from giving in to the fatigue he was feeling. He looked around trying to find someplace he could hide where they wouldn't be able to reach him. But he saw nothing. Instead he kept running…and running…and…_

_**Panteran Thrall District**_

Hanataro shook his head, ridding himself of the memory. He wiped away the tears that the memory brought to him.

_No, this is not Drowned Rat. I am not one of the Nameless anymore._

But he knew that this place was like Drowned Rat. It had the same feel of being a hell made by those who lived there. And it was permitted to fester because those with power and wealth and prestige did not deem it worth their time or energy to bother with.

_And yet I was rescued from that life,_ he thought and smiled.

"I am Hanataro Yamada," he said to the slum spreading before him. His hands tightened into fists as he made his way to the wall's ledge again. "And I have a job to do."

He leapt down to the sands below and started walking. If there was something valuable to the mission here he would find it.

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

Tatsuki could hear the sounds of cheering becoming louder. Lucas quickened his pace.

"Come," he said. "They must have just started the games. If you want to enter, then you have to do it before that event begins. Fortunately, the events last a good time because so many Panterans wish to compete to show off what they can do. Sometimes the soldiers stationed at the Borderlands are given leave to participate. The forts have always had something of a rivalry between them and, for them, this is just another battlefield for them to show-off on.

"Too bad Commander Martell rarely gives his soldiers any leave. I heard that he sees anything less than true combat or training to be a waste of time. I also heard that he's so rigid that it's a miracle that even the slightest shift in the sand he stands on doesn't send him toppling over. But, more important, I heard that his Second-in-Command is quite a looker and a more refined brand of vicious. But we have to make do with her older sister."

Tatsuki looked at him. She was about to tell him that she had met Commander Martell and that she felt the same way about him. However, she decided to remain silent. There was no need to give this Lucas any more information that was absolutely necessary.

The sound of drums and the cheers became louder as they approached the large open area between the main city of Pantera and the mountain. Tatsuki could feel the Reiatsu rise around her, charging the air like lightning. She could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

The energy washed over her like a wave. She knew that this wave was not just made from Reiatsu alone. She had known this sensation long before the Spirit World had invaded and ended her life. It was the electricity born of unbound enthusiasm surrounding cherished, momentous events.

She stepped into the plaza to the edge of the crowd. The plaza wasn't packed since the crowd was concentrated further ahead, towards the fields as she knew from experience. The jostling in front of her, the spectators perched on pillars or watching from the rooftops reminded her of any major sporting event.

She saw an open basin near the edge of the crowd and watched a teenage boy dip a water-skin in and fill it. As she drew closer the pungent aroma that wafted from the basin confirmed that the contents were not water.

"Help yourself. The moss wine is free until it runs out. Then we get more informal brawls until it gets refilled and the brawlers go back to drinking," Lucas said and chuckled. He took a sip from his own flask. Judging by his attitude, Tatsuki guessed that it held some higher quality of liquor.

"Not bad, not good really but not bad," Ikkaku said as he sampled the drink from a cupped hand.

"Madarame, that's hardly…" She had been about to say "hygienic", but a rosy-cheeked brunette woman stumbled up to the basin. The woman stuck her head in. She emerged, drenched with moss wine and her cheeks bulged, filled with the liquor. She swallowed the wine in a single gulp before stumbling away.

Tatsuki could only watch her go, unable to say anything.

"Tch, buzzed already. That one is not going anywhere her first time," Lucas said and shook his head.

Tatsuki was going to ask what he meant, but thought better of it. Instead she focused on Ikkaku who was taking another handful of the pungent drink.

"Don't get drunk, Madarame," she ordered.

"Hey, I'm not a light weight when it comes to alcohol like you are, Eurydice. Besides, this is my first drink in ages."

Tatsuki was about to say something, but Lucas put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't scold him. It's bad luck to keep anyone from their drink during the Festival. This is a time to cut loose and let discipline give way to pleasure. You'd best take a drink yourself. It's even worse luck not to indulge." Lucas chuckled as he took another swig from his flask.

Tatsuki watched him with a raised eyebrow. He looked like he was having fun, but he didn't seem to be lying. She supposed that refusing free booze would be suspicious. She knelt by the basin and sniffed at the fumes of the cheap wine.

_No wonder Commander Martell hates this festival. But I suppose a martial society needs times like these to enjoy the spoils of conquest,_ she thought frowning at her reflection in the murky liquid. She cupped her hands and scooped up some of the green liquid and drank it.

It tasted bitter and burned as it went down her throat like alcohol should. She coughed and stood back up. She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth at the earthy aftertaste filling her mouth. Her head began to swim as the alcohol started to take effect.

"I'm not a light weight," she told Ikkaku who was trying to keep from laughing at her discomfort. "And don't even think about trying to prove your own ability with cups. We're here on business."

But she was a light weight, as Tatsuki knew from personal experience. The few times she did end up drunk always ended in humiliation, usually waking up topless in the kind of places that only a member of the Stealth Force would wake up in not knowing why.

Rukia had given her grief about finding her hung over in the attic of the Kuchiki manor for weeks.

Ikkaku was going to say something before a man walked up with a giggling, and completely naked, green-haired woman in his arms. He dumped her into the alcohol and she shrieked in delight. The man left smiling while the woman reclined in the wine like she was taking a relaxing bath.

A drum beat started up from somewhere and Lucas focused on it intently over the sounds of the crowd. Tatsuki found it odd that he was more interested in the beating drums than a naked woman doing something that only celebrities and the extremely wealthy in the World of the Living could do. She didn't know whether it said a lot about Pantera or only on Lucas.

"Ah, this is most excellent! The fencing tournament is going to begin soon. They'll be a while lining up the competitors, but we need to hurry to get a good standing," Lucas said smiling.

_Scholar or not, the thought of blood-sport seems to excite him,_ Tatsuki thought. _Then again, that could be unfair. I don't know what kind of competition it is. For all I know it could just be a friendly competition. Although, with Grimmjow in charge, I find it hard to believe that it's nothing other than a fight to the death._

Ikkaku grinned at the announcement. He looked in the direction that Lucas indicated and rubbed his chin in thought.

They proceeded through the crowd with surprising civility. Tatsuki had expected a drunk and wild bunch, but it seemed that most of the drunks were at the edge or had been pushed there. She wondered if this was what Lucas had been implying earlier concerning the younger Arrancar getting drunk too quickly.

They came to the front of the crowd, or rather to the edge of a set of large concentric steps. The steps led a few levels down before dropping off to form a sand pit below. Her eyes turned to where one side was sloped like a steep ramp with the roaring quartz statue of a panther roaring at the night above. In front of the statue was a stone framework with leather straps dangling from chains. She wondered what it was normally used for and found that she didn't want to know.

Her eyes turned to the side closest to the mountain and saw that it was a straight drop to the sandy surface below. On the raised dais stood a group of male and female Arrancars wearing white robes with blue stripes at the sleeves and running down from the neckline to the hem. Their arms were held out over the sandy pit with their hands facing palm down.

Her focus was then drawn to the sandy surface of the pit below. She watched as a group of six naked Arrancars, each only wearing a Hollow hide face mask with an F-like rune painted on it in red, were raking the sandy surface while a large man wearing only a loincloth displaying a blue tattooed body paced the sands.

The man was chanting and she could only make out about one word in three as his deep resounding chant was accompanied by the beating of a drum tucked under one arm. Tatsuki looked around and saw raised platforms holding more drummers. They stood behind the large fixed instruments, beating the drums in a quick rhythm. Male and Female alike were dressed only in white kilts.

_Modesty isn't exactly a high priority with these Arrancars. _ Tatsuki sighed internally at the thought. She hoped she could get through this mission without having to bare her assets to a stranger. She could do it if she had to. Her training had included unsavory problem solving if the situation demanded it. But that didn't mean she had to like it.

"What's this about?" Ikkaku asked and pointed to the masked Arrancars.

"The Dishonored are clearing the sands so it's prepared for the glory of the fencing tournament. The priest is asking for blessings from the Great Panther on the event and calling down curses on those who shame themselves today," Lucas replied with a wave of his hand.

"Well," Madarame grinned and began to make his way down the steps.

"What is he up to?" Tatsuki grumbled.

"He's most likely going to sign up for the next event," Lucas said, either not knowing or not caring that the question had been rhetorical.

"What exactly is the next event?" Tatsuki demanded.

"Fencing, which will endow the ground with the virtue of Stamina," he answered not even looking at her.

"Wait, you consider Stamina a virtue?"

"Of course; these events help to endow the sands with the virtues of Speed, Stamina, Courage, and Strength. This will help the Brood that will be created during this festival to be able to achieve those virtues."

"What about Duty and Honor?" Tatsuki asked. She was taught that the chief virtues for the Gotei were Strength, Courage, Duty, and Honor.

"There's no need to pray for those virtues. Duty and Honor runs in the blood of every Panteran, even the lowliest Thrall," Lucas said as though explaining to a child. "But Speed, Stamina, Courage, and Strength can only be gained by those able to reach for them. And no Thrall has the capability to do so. It's a fact of life that the weak can never achieve the same level of Virtue as the strong. Their sole purpose is to serve their betters."

Tatsuki frowned a little at that. It reminded her too much of how many in the Gotei, especially those involved with The Vanguard and their offshoots, viewed the Pluses in the Rukongai.

"It's important that for a society to be virtuous, then they must keep the chafe separate from the wheat," Lucas continued and looked at Tatsuki. "Wouldn't you agree, Outsider?" he pressed clearly curious.

"It depends on what your view of 'the chafe and the wheat' is," Tatsuki said.

Lucas looked at her in surprise and laughed.

"I suppose you're right. But for Panterans, the chafe and the wheat is pretty clear." He took a swig from his flask and handed it to her. "You should make yourself merry at least. It's bad luck to refuse a drink."

Tatsuki took the flask and sniffed at it. She thought it would smell as moldy as the wine the Panterans were drinking. However, it didn't smell moldy. It smelt like…

"Is this whiskey?"

"That's right. I got it from one of the soldiers in exchange for a tailor job on his uniform. He got it off of the corpse of one of those wandering Primerans who've been infecting their lands with their weakness. Tch, those fool Primerans are better off staying in Las Noches…at least for now."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't worry. You'll hear the story about that before the main ceremony. And perhaps you will share the story of how a Rover is so familiar with fine alcohol?" Lucas grinned at her.

_Not if I can help it,_ she thought kicking herself for the slip. Fortunately, the scribe was already talking about something else.

"To celebrate the future one must remember the past for it is only through the eye of the past that one can truly appreciate the future. At least that's what the Steward says. I bet you he'll say, 'To prepare for the future we must remember the past,' or something along those lines when he comes to begin the actual ceremony."

Tatsuki sighed. Back when she was a high school girl in the World of the Living she had found History to be among her least favorite subjects. She only saw it as learning about people and events she could care less about; despite their teacher telling them that those people and events helped to shape the present.

_But I guess I'll have to grin and bear it if I'm to get any necessary information and not upset the natives,_ she thought.

"ATTENTION! ATTENTION PANTERA! THE GROUND HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH THE VIRTUE OF SPEED!"

Tatsuki looked down to the floor of the pit where a male Arrancar with a mask fragment shaped like twin crests on the left side of his head and wearing a long flowing white robe with blue stripes running down the chest and along the shoulders stood. He had his hands raised high.

"That's the High Priest of the Sacred Knights of Pantera," Lucas whispered. "He's said to be one of the few who remembers the Great Schism. I call panther shit on that," he said and gave a sly smile.

"Why?" Tatsuki asked. It could be important after all.

Lucas's grin only widened and put a finger to his lips. Tatsuki returned her focus to the High Priest who gestured for two Arrancars in semi-transparent robes with blue markings running down the sleeves to carry in a stone jar.

"ALL OF LIFE IS GOVERNED BY FATE!" the High Priest cried out. "IT IS FATE THAT DICTATED AT BIRTH THAT YOU WERE WORTHY TO BE THANES OF PANTERA! IT WAS FATE THAT DICTATED THAT THE GREAT PANTHER, GLORY BE HIS NAME, DEPART FROM US TO BECOME STRONGER FOR THE DAY WHEN HE SHALL RETURN TO LEAD US TO GLORY! IT IS FATE THAT DICTATES WHO IS BLESSED WITH THE SUPREME VIRTUES OF SPEED AND STAMINA AND COURAGE AND STRENGTH! IT IS FATE WHO CHOSE THE GREAT PANTHER TO BE DESTINED TO BECOME THE ONE TRUE KING OF HUECO MUNDO!"

"EUAN! EUAN! EU-OI-OI-OI!" the Panterans cried out.

As they cried out, many held up their drinking vessels and poured out the wine into their mounts, allowing the liquor to drench them. Many stomped their feet in rhythm to the drums.

"NOW, FOR THE DRAWING!"

"THE DRAWING! THE DRAWING! THE DRAWING!" the Panterans chanted.

Some of them stepped down onto the sandy surface at the bottom of the steps. Tatsuki wasn't surprised to see Ikkaku making his way to the bottom with them.

"I wonder if your companion has any idea what he's getting into," Lucas said grinning.

"He does," Tatsuki replied. "He's not the type who will refuse a fight whenever it's offered."

"HA! He better hope he doesn't mind losing. Although, this just might make the High Priest's evening."

Tatsuki could only shrug. She watched as the Panterans lined up in front of the stone jar. One-by-one, the Panterans stepped up to the jar while the Priest looked on. They would pull out a token and raise it in the air and cry out whatever the mark carved on the token was.

"So that's how they do the drawing?" Tatsuki asked.

"What other way is there to do it?" Lucas asked. "Besides, it's fairer than drawing sticks or using dice."

_Well, I can't argue with that,_ Tatsuki thought.

_**Ikkaku Madarame**_

Ikkaku felt his blood simmer with anticipation. He longed to get into a real fight, but knew that Tatsuki wouldn't appreciate it if he got them into trouble. When he first heard about the upcoming event being a dueling contest, he knew that he had to participate. It seemed as though the Fates were throwing him a boon for his restraint during the mission.

_It'll help keep me from getting rusty too,_ he thought.

He waited while the Arrancars ahead of him put their hands into the stone jar and pull out a stone token with markings that he had never seen before on them. When they called out the marking they would either wait until their match was called or they would walk up to their opponent and go into various pleasantries and threats.

"NEXT!" the High Priest shouted.

Ikkaku took a deep breath as he approached the stone jar. It wasn't that he was nervous. No true soldier of the Eleventh was ever nervous about a duel. It was rather that he hoped that he would get a good match and not end up with some weakling.

"Hmm, I've never seen you before," the High Priest said. "Do you hail from Pantera or from one of the outer fortresses?"

"Uh…I don't know what that means."

"Ah." The High Priest smiled and shouted, "AN OUTSIDER HAS COME INTO OUR MIDST TO PAY RESPECT TO THE GREAT PANTHER BY BEING DEFEATED!" The other Panterans laughed and applauded.

"No, I came to win," Ikkaku shot back. The Arrancar only smirked at him, seemingly amused by the declaration.

"We'll see, Outsider. We'll see. Now, draw your token and let Fate decide who will give you the honor of being defeated by a true Panteran."

Ikkaku fought back his temper. He hated being humiliated in any way.

_I'll show them,_ he thought as he reached into the stone jar. _I'll show them that I can beat any one of them._

His fingers brushed over the stone tokens before closing around one. He pulled it out and looked at the arrow-like rune on it. _Okay, what now?_ The High Priest looked at it and held up Ikkaku's hand that was holding the token.

"TIWAZ!" he cried. "THE OUTSIDER HAS DRAWN TIWAZ!"

"Uh…is that good?" Ikkaku asked.

"It's whatever you make of it, Outsider. Now…WHO HAS TIWAZ?"

There was a pause while some of the Panterans looked at their tokens.

"I have Tiwaz," a rather short and thin Panteran who appeared to be in his late teens said stepping forward. For a moment, Ikkaku was reminded of Captain Hitsugaya back in the old days.

The youth had been part of a group of Panterans who were wearing long sleeveless jackets with a red sash tied over the jacket. Ikkaku's eyes widened when he saw that they all wore their hair the same way. The right side of their heads were shaved, leaving only stubble, but the left side was grown long, wild, and dyed a cranberry red. The memory of another Arrancar who wore his hair the same way came to the surface.

_Now that was a fine duel,_ he thought as he remembered is fight with Edorad Leones over Karakura Town.

"No way," Ikkaku whispered.

"I'm Second-Commander Roland Chambers of…" the youth began and then trailed off when he looked at Ikkaku. "A eunuch? Are you serious, Holiness? Did the Fates really send a eunuch to face me?"

"I'M NOT A EUNUCH!" Ikkaku shouted.

Roland only shrugged his shoulders and smiled lazily.

"Whatever you say, Baldy."

"AND DON'T CALL ME 'BALDY', YOU HALF-PINT SHRIMP!"

At that moment he felt a blade pressed against his throat. He looked down and saw a young girl wearing the same uniform and hairstyle as those in Roland's group glaring up at him from her crouching position. The point of her dagger dug into his skin.

"You should show more respect to the Second-Commander of Fort Leones," she hissed. Ikkaku sneered at the threat tapping a finger against the blade's edge.

"That's enough, Aileen," Roland said. "If the Fates wish me to fight a eunuch then I would rather have him intact."

"Sir, with all due respect, but a eunuch is already _not_ intact." Roland sighed, but he couldn't help but give a little smile. Normally, Ikkaku would have laughed at the joke, but since he was the butt end of it…

"You're right, Aileen. What I meant to say is that I would rather fight him alive and as fit for combat as possible."

"I'm not a eunuch," he snarled, face nearly purple from embarrassment and rage.

"As you command, Sir," Aileen said and withdrew her dagger. She sheathed her dagger into its scabbard tucked into the red sash at her narrow waist. "I shall pray to the Great Panther that you make sure that this…" She turned her focus to Ikkaku and lowered her voice. "…Outsider learns proper respect for his betters."

"You're not seriously suggesting that this little runt is my better are you?" Ikkaku asked.

"Silence, eunuch," Aileen hissed again and fingered the hilt of her dagger. "If you're not already a eunuch then I will make you one."

"Aileen, remember what I ordered you to do," Roland said. Aileen looked at Roland, her eyes wide. She suddenly went onto one knee and planted a fist on the ground and covered the face with the other hand.

"I apologize, my liege. I have disgraced myself in the presence of Pantera. I shall take the Fe rune and purify my disgrace."

"Aileen, you really need to stop being so melodramatic. You were only defending the honor of your superior officer," Roland said with a hint of irritation and a wave of his hand. He turned his attention back to Ikkaku. "You're fortunate that Commander Boudicca isn't here, Outsider. She would have your head on a spike for such insolence. And there are still a few vacancies on the walls of Fort Leones."

"Oh…is that so?" Ikkaku asked, almost daring him to fetch this Commander Boudicca.

"Careful, Outsider, those who underestimate the Panterans do so at their peril. And when you stir up the wrath of Pantera, blood always flows on the thirsty sands."

Ikkaku fell silent at that. He remembered the last entry on the Holo-Record. He felt as though he knew where some of the heads on the walls of Fort Leones came from.

_**Elsewhere in Hueco Mundo**_

_She was alone on the Pilgrim's Road. She looked up at the white walls of stone that rose on either side of her. The crescent moon was looking down on her from its place in the empty heavens._

_ "PERSEY! WHERE ARE YOU!" she cried. The only answer was her echo._

_ A cold wind rose around her. Isra stopped as the wind seemed to whisper something like a word or a name that was both familiar and yet foreign to her. She strained to hear what it was, but the wind only sang its usual song. _

_ Then she heard footsteps coming behind her. She turned and saw that she was no longer in the canyon. She was in the middle of the desert. She looked around her, wondering how she got there. Then something drifted down in front of her. She held out a hand and caught it. She looked at the white cluster on her palm. Her first thought was that it was sand falling from the sky, but closer inspection made her realize that it was not sand. She looked as more white clusters fell from the inky-black sky._

_ The hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. She was forced to look into a creature of nightmare. The creature was missing its lower jaw and its torso was torn open, exposing the empty cavity within._

_ "GOH'HA!" Straum's ruined corpse cried out in glee as the white clusters fell around them._

Isra's eyes flew open and she began to breathe heavily, afraid of seeing the ruined corpse above her. Instead, she was looking at the waning moon carved into the stone ceiling's surface. The ceiling was painted to look like the night sky, but there were stars painted on the dark-blue surface, arranged in the constellations she had heard about and only saw in dreams. The nightmare was driven from her mind as she looked up at the painted sky. She remembered how she had wanted to make a crescent moon, but Persephone had pulled her aside and explained who used the crescent moon as a symbol: the Sons.

She realized with relief that she was in her own bed. She could smell her scent and, to a lesser extent, Persephone's scent on the soft thick blanket wrapped around her. The softened Hollow hides shifted with a soft rustling sound and she could picture the fine sand beneath filling out the sleeping basin.

_How did I get here? The last thing I remember was…_

She shook her head as she tried to remember. She could remember Persephone's arms wrapping themselves around her. She remembered the smell of blood and gore that covered her and yet the feeling of being safe.

Isra pulled herself from the warm cocoon and sat on the upraised basin that was her sleeping spot. She was nearly naked save for the linen skirt wrapped around her waist and she noticed that she was not covered in blood. In fact, she could not smell the blood and gore that she had been covered in as Persephone held her close.

_If there was any trace it would only make me afraid,_ she thought guiltily. _I can accept being weak, but being a coward…that would be a stone of shame around my neck. And not even Persey's assurances could make me feel better._

She looked to the larger basin immediately next to hers where Persephone slept. It was so close that she could, and often times did, roll into it. She especially rolled into it when she had one of her bad nightmares. She saw that it was immaculate and empty. The blanket neatly covered the sand and the pillow made of dyed silk and filled with feathers rested on top of the blanket.

"Wonderful, I was about to get you up," Persephone's voice said.

Isra looked to the spiral staircase at the far end of the long room. She smiled when she saw Persephone standing halfway down the stairs holding a crystal cup filled with water. Her big sister's veil was pulled down resting limp against her chest.

_More like on top of her bosom,_ Isra thought, resisting a sigh as she looked at her own flat chest.

Persephone's resemblance to the Goddess was clearer and less distinct without the veil. Her nose was pretty but not the same, and while she had the same cheeks her chin was a bit too blunt. Finally her lower cheeks were covered by the sweeping patches of fine white scales that were her mask fragment. She was not the Goddess, but she was still so beautiful.

Covering the top of the cup, Persephone went into Sonído to appear in front of Isra's bed. She held out the cup of water to her and Isra accepted it. She began to gulp down the water.

"Not so fast. Or you'll need to urinate sooner than you may wish," Persephone chided gently. "When you're ready we need to go."

The announcement made Isra completely forget her dream and her worries.

"Go? But we just got back," Isra whined.

"Exactly and how does a Pilgrimage end?" Persephone asked.

She took back the crystal cup as Isra frowned, almost visibly thinking. Then her eyes widened and a wide grin spread on her face.

"WITH THE RETURN FEAST!" she cried out. Then she clapped her hands with joy as the answer connected with her situation. "WE'RE GOING TO THE PALACE?" she asked as she jumped out of bed in excitement.

"That's right. Now that you have your veil you will sit at the Royal High Seat next to me." Persephone smiled as she put a calloused hand on the bare pale shoulder.

"Will Orion be there?" Isra asked eagerly.

"That's Lord Orion, Isra. He may be family but in public you need to give people their proper titles." Persephone gave a gentle squeeze.

"Oh…that's right," Isra said. "I'll be perfect Persey. The Queen won't get mad," she declared. She didn't see her sister's eyes widen at that last statement.

The former Heir Apparent to the Shark Throne often wondered if, for all her slowness, Isra was actually quite perceptive. That only made it even sadder since she knew Isra could behave perfectly but so many, including Queen Freya, would still see her place at table as inappropriate.

Isra was now babbling about the last time she explored the palace with its generations of sculptures and friezes and tapestries. Persephone smiled as she looked at how the girl had turned her blank walled home into practically a gallery. She thought that Isra's talent was only outstripped by her enthusiasm.

_You are too good to be a warrior, my innocent little sister,_ Persephone thought. She put a hand down on top of Isra's head. It was a gesture that always got the girl's rarely undivided attention.

"You'd best get into your formal ware, or we might miss the party," she teased.

Isra naturally took it seriously. After her jaw dropped and eyes popped in a look of horror, the small Arrancar became a whirl of Sonído trying to get dressed quicker than was possible. Persephone shook her head. The Return Feast would not start for another couple of hours, and that would be enough time for her to get formally dressed as well. She watched Isra trying out different formal dresses in front of the full-length looking glass and laughed lightly.

Persephone looked over the once blank walls that the odd girl had filled with life. Isra was truly a blessing that Persephone had long since considered a gift from the Goddess. And she dared anyone, be they Triple or Son or anything else, to try to harm her.

_**Pantera**_

_**Ikkaku Madarame**_

"Pick your weapon, Outsider," Roland said and gestured to the base of the dais where the weapons were either leaning against the wall or laid out on stone benches. "I would advise that you choose the one that you know best."

Ikkaku hesitated for a moment as he looked at the youth. Throughout the other competitions that occurred before it was his turn, Ikkaku had noticed how well the Panterans fought. They didn't just fight with the brute force that he was used to in Squad 11, but they also fought with the grace and speed and finesse of Squad 2. Ikkaku found himself wishing that he had trained in more civilized methods of fighting.

_Well, I'm here now._ He looked at Roland who was tapping one foot on the sand. _Damn it. I can't let him see me hesitate too long. I'll just look even weaker._

"Are you sure that's wise, Kid? I would hate for this contest to be too one-sided," Ikkaku said smugly.

Roland didn't say anything. Instead he gestured again to where the weapons were arranged. Ikkaku gave him a smirk and strolled over to where the quarterstaffs leaned against the wall.

"Quarterstaff," Ikkaku said as he took one. "Would you like me to try to find one that's kid-sized for you, Kid?"

"Insolent whelp," Aileen snarled.

"Damn it, Madarame, don't provoke them," Tatsuki muttered under her breath.

"No," Roland said as he took one of the long quarterstaffs. "This will suffice."

"ARE YOU KIDDING?" Ikkaku shouted. "That's more like a long staff for you."

"It's the proper six to nine feet. Hence, it's a quarterstaff," Roland said matter-of-factly.

"Still, it will be awkward for you to use."

"As I said before, Outsider, it will suffice."

"Very well," the High Priest said. "Go to your sides. The rules are simple. First, no special abilities, this is a dance of weapons. Second, you cannot fight outside the arena. Finally, the first who strikes their opponent thrice is the victor."

"Three times, eh," Ikkaku muttered. He eyed his opponent as he was searching for the right balance point to hold the quarterstaff. "This will be easy."

Roland nodded as he gripped the quarterstaff and then held it by his side as though holding a walking staff.

"Don't think that just because you're a kid that I'll go easy on you," Ikkaku taunted. "However, if you decide to just stand there then I'll make your defeat as quick as possible."

Roland didn't say anything. He didn't even look at Ikkaku. Instead, he was looking at the sand, kicking at it a little with one foot. Roland closed his eyes and began to hum.

_This is going to be easy,_ Ikkaku thought.

"BEGIN!" the High Priest shouted.

Ikkaku roared as he rushed Roland. Roland opened his eyes and smiled.

"What a fool," Roland said.

Ikkaku brought up his quarterstaff, preparing to strike. Roland crouched and swung the quarterstaff at Ikkaku's legs. Ikkaku tried to leapt, but before he could…

"One," Roland said as the wooden pole struck Ikkaku's legs.

"YOU LITTLE…" Ikkaku shouted as he raised the staff over his head. He swung down to strike the crouching boy, but the boy rolled out of the way and he struck nothing but sand.

"You're wide open, eunuch," Roland commented from behind him just as he struck Ikkaku in the back. "Two."

Ikkaku yelled out as he stumbled forward. This was impossible. He was Ikkaku Madarame, third seat of Squad 11, the best fighting force in all of the Seireitei. He had achieved Bankai and fought in the Winter War and the Second Aizen War as well as a dozen more armed conflicts. There was no way he could be beaten by a kid! Yet, that was what was happening.

"I…won't lose," Ikkaku snarled. He looked at Roland and grinned at him. "I won't lose to a little runt like you." Ikkaku twirled the quarter-staff in his hands and got in a defensive position. Roland didn't seem impressed. He sighed as he tapped his own quarter-staff against his shoulder. Ikkaku roared at him in challenge, but Roland only shook his head.

"Three," he whispered and rushed Ikkaku.

Ikkaku smiled.

_I have him,_ he thought. _I can strike him. I will strike him._

Ikkaku was preparing his own counter-attack and was about to dodge Roland to strike him as he passed. However, he didn't even have the chance to pivot. The next thing Ikkaku knew he was lying on the ground with Roland tapping his chest with the quarterstaff.

"Four…five…six…" Roland said with each tap.

"GET OFF ME!" Ikkaku roared as he jumped up and swung his fist at Roland who didn't flinch but instead caught the fist with one hand. "HEY…LET GO!" Ikkaku demanded as Roland's grip tightened.

"I won't release you until you yield to me, Outsider. I am Second-Commander Roland Chambers of Fort Leones and Marshall of the Volcanica Execution Force. I have fought many battles, Outsider, and have earned the Panther's Heart of Valor fighting off the raiding bands of Berserkers, Eaters, and worse. It was only inevitable that our fight would be short."

Ikkaku grimaced as Roland's grip tightened.

"LET GO!" Ikkaku roared as he swung his free hand at Roland who merely dodged it.

"You may fight with passion and valor, yet you don't know how to truly fight. You think that fighting is all about brute strength? If you do then you are a fool. Fighting is also about thinking five moves ahead of your opponent and knowing their vulnerabilities. Your defenses were filled with holes and I merely used them to my advantage. However, you have potential. It's a waste to sacrifice potential for brute strength. Now, yield."

"No."

"Yield," Roland said again as his grip tightened. Ikkaku grimaced as he felt the Hierro crack a little and saw droplets of blood begin to flow between Roland's fingers.

"I…will…NOT!"

"JUST YIELD ALREADY, YOU IDIOT!" Tatsuki shouted. "He beat you fair and square."

"But…"

"DAMN IT, MADARAME! SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE AND ADMIT DEFEAT!" she roared.

Ikkaku swallowed. He hated the idea of admitting defeat. The only times that he ever admitted defeat were after he first met Kenpachi Zaraki and his first battle against Ichigo Kurosaki. However, Roland Chambers was an Arrancar and he would never admit defeat to an Arrancar. He…

_"IKKAKU, NO! THE CAPTAIN ORDERED US TO STAY HERE!"_

Ikkaku stopped in his struggles as Yumichika's voice came back to him.

"No," he whispered.

_"IKKAKU, LOOK OUT! IT'S BEHIND YOU!"_

"No," Ikkaku whispered again as his mind filled with the sound that the great sword of Koku-Jô Tengen Myô-Oh made as it crashed where he had been standing until Yumichika had pushed him out of the way. He could still hear his own cry of despair as the Seireitei burned with the fires of Aizen's vengeance and the treacherous deaths brought about by his cowardly Bankai.

"Do you yield?" Roland asked bringing Ikkaku back to the present.

_My pride,_ Ikkaku thought. _Yumichika died because I only thought of the glory I would receive if I killed Aizen myself, or just died in that awe-inspiring battle. I didn't see. I didn't know. I…I…_

"I yield," Ikkaku whispered.

"Alright then," Roland said and he released his grip on Ikkaku's fist. Roland looked down on Ikkaku staring up into the sky as though measuring him with his eyes.

"Admitting defeat is the greatest thing a warrior can do aside from being victorious."

Ikkaku looked at the small, bleeding cracks in his hand. For the moment he didn't feel like a warrior at all.

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

"MADARAME, YOU ARE SUCH A DUMBASS!" Tatsuki shouted. Her hands were planted on her hips. "I mean the whole fight for pride thing is bad enough, but you nearly turned it into a brawl. WE'RE HERE ON BUSINESS! Hey, are you even listening to me?"

She glowered down at Ikkaku who was sitting on the ground next to a moss wine basin. He dipped the crude sandstone chalice that one of the Arrancars gave him when he climbed out of the arena into the wine. After he had drained the wine that had been in the chalice he sat himself by the nearest basin that wasn't being used as a bathtub. He had not stopped drinking since.

"A fucking brat," Ikkaku muttered for what must have been the umpteenth time.

Tatsuki left eye twitched in agitation.

"Would you…STOP YOUR BITCHING?" she yelled as she kicked him the head. Ikkaku went falling into the basin, sending the dark green liquid splashing over the edge. Tatsuki stepped back in order to avoid getting any of the cheap alcohol on her uniform. Ikkaku emerged from the liquor spitting out some of the green wine. His face was red and not just with being drunk.

Tatsuki returned Ikkaku's glare with her own trademarked pissed-off Squad 2 Officer look. Squad 11 may be the most brutal and Squad 12 may be the most sadistic, but not even the Spirit King could help those who pissed-off Squad 2. Squad 2 home to the…

Tatsuki failed to detect the motion. She knew that someone was behind her, but that was normal in such a festive atmosphere. Her heightened senses sensed the motion, but because there was no real ill-intent behind it and her focus was completely on Ikkaku, she thought nothing of it until it was too late.

She felt the hand slap her ass and the surprise and force behind it caused her to fly forward. The surprise of the blindside insured that she hit the wine face first. The top of her head hit the bottom of the basin while her feet still rested on the edge.

Ikkaku blinked in surprise. He was clearly torn between concern and laughing his ass off at what just happened. He turned to look at the assailant.

The large muscular Panteran towered over them. His bare chiseled torso was covered in light blue tattoos that seemed to clash with his dark skin. He returned his outstretched arm back around the curvy naked Arrancar female draped over one broad shoulder. He had another naked Arrancar female under his other arm. The two woman laughed and pointed at the mostly submerged Officer.

"Angry women should drink more," he declared solemnly. Then he threw his head back and roared in laughter. "OR PERHAPS THEY SHOULD FIND SOMEONE TO HELP THEM UNWIND!" he roared as he stomped off laughing back to the crowd of celebrating Panterans.

"Uh…Eurydice…" Ikkaku began as he stood up in the basin and tapped what he thought was her head with his foot. Then the sole of her sandal was in his face. Ikkaku staggered back, clutching his bleeding nose as Tatsuki emerged from the wine.

She stood up, glowering and shook her head like a wet dog sending droplets of the green wine flying. Her clothes were stained green and clung to her. Ikkaku noted that while her spiky hair was drooping it still held its basic shape.

_Does she keep her hair shaped with Reiatsu?_

"That's…it," she snarled clenching her fists. "Someone…is going…to…"

Before she could finish, more of the alcohol was poured over head. Tatsuki's left eye twitched even more fervently and she didn't look back to the solemn-faced, steel-grey haired Arrancar standing behind her.

"You mustn't let your temper get the best of you," the Arrancar instructed as he lowered the stone pitcher. "This is a festival. If you're not fighting then you should be doing two things. Drinking is one of them."

"And what's the second?" Ikkaku asked.

The Arrancar shook his head and sighed. He walked away, muttering under his breath.

"Uh…are you…?" Ikkaku began.

"LUCAS!" Tatsuki shouted. The Jarl reappeared without even the sound of static of Sonído. He smiled at them.

"Ah, I see that you're enjoying yourselves," he remarked.

"Lucas, can I kill him?" she grated as she gestured to the man with the stone pitcher over her shoulder.

"It's bad luck to kill a Panteran at a Festival," Lucas said shaking his head. "If you wanted to kill something then you should have participated in the gladiatorial rounds against the Eaters while you could. Unfortunately, all of the Eaters we held are dead. However, if you still have some aggression to work out then there's always the wrestling tournament to consider," he said never losing that easy smile.

_**Later**_

_No way. There's no way I'm doing this._

Tatsuki stood at the edge of the steps leading to the arena floor. The wrestling competitors who already signed-up were on the sandy surface stretching to prepare their bodies or posing for the audience. Tatsuki couldn't help but think about some of the boxing or wrestling tournaments she attended or took part in.

Lucas leaned into her line-of-sight. His smirk contrasted with her scowl.

"It may not be as honorable an event as fencing, but the sheer ruggedness, fighting with only your body and wits, appeals to a baser thrill," he supplied. "It should help you relax." However, Tatsuki did not find the idea of something baser than blood-sport to be relaxing or appealing.

Then again, maybe it could be relaxing. Tatsuki felt irritated enough already. The way that some of the haughty Panterans were posing only made her irritation increase.

_They're not panthers, they're peacocks. I can easily take any one of them on._

"Well, aren't you going to enter? There's not much time left to do so," Lucas said.

"Tch, forget it. I don't need to prove something to a tribe that's not my own," Tatsuki replied and turned away from the arena.

"HA! She's a smart one!" someone called. There was nothing but mockery in that tone, and Tatsuki hated to be mocked. She stopped, left brow twitching in agitation.

_Just keep walking. There's no need to get involved._

"I can't say that I blame ya. You would only make yourself look like a bigger dumbass, Outsider."

Tatsuki turned around and faced a muse haired Arrancar woman with four white horns smirking at her. The woman's shirt was barely restraining her large breasts.

"What was that?" Tatsuki snarled, the Dragon rousing in her chest.

_Listen, bitch, no one mocks The Dragon._

"I said that it would only make you look like a bigger dumbass. Your friend was an idiot. He thought that he could do anything besides eating blood and sand against a Panteran. You, however, are smart enough to see that you have no chance of winning. You're beneath us," the woman said.

Lucas cringed as the woman's teeth were shattered by a fist and she collapsed back on the tier below the edge. Tatsuki walked down the steps to the arena floor and took an empty spot amongst the candidates. Some looked at her in surprise as she dispelled the flecks of blood on her hand with a burst of energy. One of the priests looked at her and smiled.

"What do you want, Little Girl?" he asked.

"Sign me up before I change my mind," Tatsuki demanded.

Tatsuki's first opponent, chosen by drawing tokens from a stone jar, was with a relatively weak Panteran. She figured that if she planned carefully then she had a chance to emerge victorious. She was glad for all of the training that Sui-Feng had put her through as well as all of the tournaments and years of karate she had been through while alive. While the High Priest explained the rules Tatsuki put together a plan of attack.

Her first match didn't last long and when she emerged victorious the Panterans were silent for a few moments before breaking out in wild applause. She noticed that the High Priest was smiling and shaking his head, as though he believed her victory was a mere fluke to be indulged.

If that was the case then her next six fights, with each opponent stronger than the last, were also flukes.

The High Priest's smile got lost somewhere along the way.

_Like I thought, they're all nothing but peacocks._

Tatsuki watched from the sidelines with the other Contestants who were heading into the next round as she waited for her next opponent. She kept her eyes on each round, making mental notes of all those who could be her opponent. She had to admit that she was impressed with many of those who remained. They were clearly not mere peacocks.

She noticed that many of her potential opponents were looking at her, some in admiration and others in disgust. She had beaten the Panterans' expectations just by making it past the first round. She could tell that her making it this far was unbelievable for the Panterans. She had an idea that she was probably making this a very memorable festival for them.

_Alright, let's keep this up, girl,_ Tatsuki thought as her name was called.

Just doing this was very nostalgic for her. Even though her career as a competitive martial artist was very short in her total existence it had been a key part of her. Standing in the ring, facing an opponent while people chanted her name had given her a sense of identity and accomplishment. Even though her training, spars, and missions had been intense they just didn't have the same thrill as the ring. There was something about the crowd and competing for the mere sake of competition that made her feel truly alive that no training session or mission ever could.

_It's like coming home after being away for so long,_ she thought as a wave of nostalgia came over her. For a moment she felt as though she was back in the dojo and across from her was that stupid orange-haired kid with the goofy smile.

The applause brought her out of her nostalgia-induced trip down memory lane. She shook her head and faced her next opponent.

Tatsuki's eyes nearly popped from their sockets when she saw the towering giant across from her. He looked to be made of pure muscle and his long blonde hair was tied back with a leather cord. She had seen him fight, and his matches had been brief enough to tell little beyond one very important fact: he was not to be taken lightly.

"BEGIN!" the High Priest roared and shot a greenish Bala into the night sky.

Tatsuki focused her attention back on her opponent. He was smiling at her.

_He's getting ready,_ she thought as she watched his stance. _Any mo—_

Without a word or further signal, he rushed her. Tatsuki rushed him in turn, already moving into the best position to counter the attack. They collided, pushing against each other. Tatsuki knew that her smaller size and lighter weight already gave her a disadvantage, but she dug her feet into the sandy surface.

"Do you seriously think that a light-weight like you can stand your ground against me?" her opponent asked. He didn't seem to be mocking her and Tatsuki thought that he was simply puzzled.

She didn't say anything in response. Instead, she pivoted and released her grip from around his waist. He was surprised at the sudden motion that he didn't realize that Tatsuki had grabbed his arm and was actually twisting it.

_He can't complain that they allow this,_ she thought savagely as she pulled his arm out of his socket.

There was a loud popping sound. She remembered that when she was a school girl, that sound would have bothered her. But it didn't bother Tatsuki Arisawa of the Squad 2. Her opponent roared in surprise, pain, and rage as he looked at the useless arm dangling at his side. He fixed his attention back to Tatsuki and smiled through his pain.

"Well it looks as though you're not as weak as I thought you were," he said and then actually laughed. "You just made this fight a little more interesting to me, Girl. What's your name?"

"Eurydice."

"Well, Eurydice, I'm…" he began as he grabbed his arm with his good hand, "…Bjarki." He twisted his arm and there was another popping sound as his arm was popped back into the socket. He rotated it a few times to make sure that it was working properly and smiled again. "I guess that means I don't have to go easy on you then. Excellent."

"Oh, are you going to go into Resurrección? I thought that wasn't allowed," Tatsuki said grinning.

Bjarki smiled widely at her as he charged her again.

Whenever Tatsuki found herself in a situation where she could not defeat an opponent right away then time seemed to stand still. This was one such situation. But that sensation of timelessness was only heightened by the never-ending night. The only way Tatsuki had to measure how long a fight lasted was by the onset of fatigue.

She hoped that her opponent's size would cause him to fatigue faster and thus slow him down enough to where her greater speed would become the winning edge. Unfortunately, stamina is not only dependent on size but also training. She had only a few weeks to prepare her Gigai for combat situations, but Bjarki had a lifetime of such training. His stamina, as a consequence, was superior and she had to admit that his skills were not those of a mere grunt.

Tatsuki could feel her legs growing heavy as her breaths grew shorter. Her head swam and her body was drenched in sweat and blood that ran from the cuts his fists had opened in her hierro. She smiled a little when she saw that he was breathing hard. But he was nowhere near as fatigued as she was.

"Well I'm surprised…you're still…standing," he panted as he wiped sweat from his brow with the back of his fist. "What Tribe are…you from?"

"I'm…just a Rover," Tatsuki answered trying not to betray how tired she was.

"I thought…for sure…that you…were one of the Lost Ones."

Tatsuki didn't know who these "Lost Ones" were and didn't care.

She only cared about winning.

_But how can I beat him? He still has plenty of energy left, but…but I'm…I'm just too…tired._

Her vision swam and blurred. Black blossoms bloomed over her vision as the fatigue was becoming too much for her to bear.

The Hierro, she had never gone to her limits in it, not like this. The trapped heat was cooking her inside her skin. She felt the burning as the trapped heat escaped through her wounds.

Pain she hadn't been trained to handle ran through her body. Or was it just her mind playing japes on her dulling senses?

_Please…no…I…mustn't…don't let…me…faint,_ she pleaded weakly. _Mother…would be…_

The thought trailed off as she felt herself falling into darkness. She wanted to embrace its cool release, but a part of her wanted to keep fighting. That part wanted to win through the fire. But that part was fading as she fell, guttering out like flames in a rainstorm. It felt as though she was falling through some great abyss to which there was no bottom.

And what point was there in fighting it?

_There is none,_ she realized dully.

And so she allowed herself to fall…and fall…and fall…and…

_**The Inner World**_

_ Tatsuki opened her eyes and saw that she was not in Pantera anymore. She stood in the center of a ring of rock slabs on top of a barren stony hill. The shadows of the stones danced as hot howling winds buffeted her. Drawn by fear and undeniable curiosity she walked to the edge of the circle where the hill dropped away in a cliff of naked rock. The night surrounding her was broken by the blazing fire of burning cities far below and the glisten of the hoard of plunder that was heaped around the hill's base._

The treasure of the burning cities,_ she thought, _razed by conflict and set down before this altar of stone upon which I stand.

_ "Where…am I?" she asked backing away from the edge._

_ "WHY SHOULD THAT MATTER?" a voice roared from behind her._

_ Tatsuki whirled around and was taken aback by the figure standing where she had arrived._

_ Golden bat-like wings veined with crimson stretched out from the slender young woman's back. White hair flowed from behind the dragon-skull masked figure. The pale breasts were covered by a bone chest-piece made to look like the claws of some great lizard with gems embedded at the tips of each silver-veined finger. Her stomach was covered by a girdle that looked to have been made from a lizard's hide dipped into gold and etched with silver that was the source of the ornate chest coverings. A flowing white dress covered her from waist to ankles and was held up by a series of inter-connecting steel rings wrapped around her waist._

_ Tatsuki thought she was wearing gauntlets set on fire over her hands, but realized that they were not gauntlets. The young woman's hands resembled the scaled hands of a lizard and fire burned around them. Smoke poured from the mask's mouth. But the thing that caused Tatsuki to really pay attention to it was the eyes._

_ The eyes were golden yellow surrounding twin slits of fiery red. And they blazed with rage._

_ "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" it roared. "ARE YOU REALLY THIS PATHETIC?"_

_ "What?"_

_ "Tch, I should have known. You really are a weakling. You're nothing but a babe crying for its Mommy while shitting its diapers."_

_ Tatsuki felt rage build within her. She didn't even realize that she wasn't tired anymore._

_ "Who are you to speak to me like that?" she demanded as she stepped forward._

_ "Who am I?" the woman asked thoughtfully. "Who am I? WHO AM I?" it shouted before bursting into a storm of cruel laughter. Puffs of fire poured out of the mask's mouth with each laugh. "Oh…that's rich. 'Who are you?' it asks. Well I'm surprised that you don't even know. The real question is 'Who do you think I am, Smaug the Golden?'" it said, mockery dripping from its voice like blood from a blade. Tatsuki didn't say anything. She was afraid that she already knew the answer to that question. She didn't want to say it because she was afraid that doing so would make her fear reality._

_ "I'll tell you what, Sister Light. I'm gonna answer. I'm…" The woman raised a blazing lizard-like hand and struck the mask. The mask cracked and then shattered in an explosion of bone and fire. Tatsuki lifted her hands to cover her face and cried out in surprise. When she allowed herself to look, only the mask's lower jaw remained. "…your Sister Dark. I am The Dragon. I am you and you are me," the albino Tatsuki said. Her deep purple lips became a smile._

_ "You're my Inner Hollow," Tatsuki said. "Rukia told me what she knew about Ichigo's problem with his own Inner Hollow. What do you want with me? Why are you here?"_

_ "Gnothi Seauton," her Inner Hollow replied. "I'm here to help you 'Know Thyself.'"_

_ "Liar," Tatsuki snapped. The albino's smile widened._

_ "Fine, don't believe me. I didn't really expect anything different. But you're the one who called out for me because you're too tired and weak to do anything by yourself. And you know it. You know how weak you are underneath that mask you wear. What you need is The Dragon to awaken. But beware, Sister Light. Beware of your vicious Sister Dark. Beware of The Dragon." The albino Tatsuki grabbed her and embraced her forcefully before whispering, "For The Dragon is hungry."_

_ Tatsuki ignored their ascent into the ash-filled sky. She was too busy struggling against the albino's embrace. It was not warm or comforting. It was invasive. It made her think of Chizuru. She had never liked that girl. It wasn't homophobia, but rather it was Chizuru's predator-like assumptions._

_ Her struggles did her no good. The albino, her Inner Hollow, her Sister Dark, had her arms wrapped tight around her pinning her arms to her side. She couldn't budge and her feeble attempts by kicking the creature were answered with the other's legs wrapping around hers._

_ "Yes, fight me," the albino purred. "That's how we do it. That's how we start. You've always tied your love to fighting. That's why you were so lonely. That's why they all left you. First there was that boy who you protected and then that girl. You need violence to kindle your love. And your so-called 'Mommy', you could love her so easily because she taught you violence and used it on you," the albino whispered into her ear as it rubbed her cheek with its own. _

_ "Stop it," Tatsuki moaned._

_ "Admit it," the albino continued. "You love being kicked-around and kicking others around. It makes you hot…and wet…and…"_

_ "STOP IT!" Tatsuki roared._

_ "No, we've only started," her Sister Dark said sighing. The pale woman grew hot against her like a bronze basin filled with burning embers. Tatsuki cried out as her own spiritual pressure suddenly spiked. The pressure burst from both of them, and they both cried out one in pain and the other in ecstasy. Their clothes and armor burned away from them, leaving them both naked._

_ "Ahh," the Inner Hollow sighed as it moved its hard body against Tatsuki. "Embrace me…join me…give yourself over to me…lose yourself…let my pleasure become your pleasure…and your pleasure my pleasure…oh yes, yes, yes, YES!"_

_ Tatsuki's vision went red and she broke the grip only for her arms to stop suddenly. A strange sensation filled her. She looked to where her arm was and she screamed in surprise._

_ Her arms were fused with the other's limbs where they had been touching. It was like bits of clay rammed together. She could feel its hands on her back begin to sink into her. To make it worse, she could feel the arms invading her up to their still free elbows. She tried to push the other away from her, but she couldn't. She tried to push with her foot, only to feel the foot sink into the other's leg._

_ Tatsuki found that the sensation was not painful like she expected, but was instead like taking a dip into a cool lake on a hot summer's day. She could feel relief fill her._

I'm becoming whole,_ she thought. _This is what it truly means to become whole.

_ But that did not stop her confusion as the flesh melded together. Sister Light and Sister Dark were merging into one, causing the air around them to ripple. She felt her Reiatsu rise and fall, rise and fall as the Hollow-like Reiatsu began to merge with the Soul Reaper Reiatsu._

I'm becoming…a goddess,_ she thought. _

_ Her mind began to swim with visions of Soul Reapers, humans, and Hollows alike bowing before her. She had visions of men and women coming to seek her favor and give her offerings of meat and gold and their bodies. She had visions of nations going to war against each other for her favor or of her raining fire and destruction upon those who displeased her._

Power and love,_ the voice inside her mind said. _Everything that you've ever wanted will be yours. All that you have to do is embrace me. Give yourself to me and you will never feel powerless again.

_ She allowed the other to pull her back into the full embrace. They were one from the waist down, two upper bodies tied to a single set of light ash-colored legs. Sister Dark's chest pressed into her. Their breasts began to merge. Tatsuki looked down and saw that she was becoming more beautiful and yet more terrible than ever before._

_ Then a new vision entered her mind. It was of her fulfilling one of her deepest and darkest desires, a desire that she had long suppressed and wanted to forget. It was Id made Ego; it was darkness brought into the light. All she could see was a stranger in a familiar body. That was when she realized exactly what the price for surrender would be._

No, I don't want this,_ Tatsuki thought. _I don't want to lose myself.

_ "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Tatsuki cried out in fear and anger._

_ "I'm only doing what's natural," Hollow Tatsuki said. Soul Reaper Tatsuki opened her mouth to demand this to stop. She needed this madness to be gone. It was an opportunity that the albino was all too pleased to take advantage of. The albino pressed her lips to Tatsuki's._

_ Tatsuki was taken aback at the act. She tried to pull her head away only for the other to follow. They were two heads on a pair of shoulders atop an ashen form in the sky. Two sets of breasts merged halfway between them as they faced each other._

_ The seam closed. The hierro white blending into Tatsuki's cheek and the other's head relaxing as the healthier looking one tried to shake it off. Tatsuki found that she couldn't even close her jaws. The merged tongue filled their mouth was unyielding to her teeth._

_ A twinkle in the other's eyes warned her that something more was coming. Tatsuki knew that she was powerless to stop it. All that she could do was to scream down the other's throat. Flames rose in answer to her. They filled her mouth. Smoke drifted out of her nostrils as the fire poured into her._

_ It was hot. It was consuming her even as it filled her. The fire could not escape even as it poured into her as a great torrent. They were rising higher and Tatsuki knew that she would burst into flames. The ash in the air coating them was now billowing around them, cloaking them in a gray version of the other's attire as it hung close to them._

_ Tatsuki's eyes fluttered shut as the colors faded in, adorning them in Sister Dark's raiment._

_ She felt fiery breath enter her. Then she was rising…rising…rising…until…_

_**Pantera**_

A burst of Reiatsu caused Bjarki to look at his downed opponent. He lowered his arms that he had raised in victory and took a step back. The Panteran spectators pressed in closer, eager to see what the strong Outsider would do next. Despite being somewhat drunk, Ikkaku felt what was going on. His eyes bulged as he looked to where Tatsuki laid.

"Oh no," he whispered.

"Heh, looks like yer command'r ain't had 'nough," one of the drunk Panterans said and nudged Ikkaku's arm.

Ikkaku didn't say anything. Instead he continued to look at Tatsuki's still body.

_She's not moving,_ he thought. _Maybe I'm just being a little too jumpy._

He jumped a little as Tatsuki's body seemed to rise from the sandy surface like a puppet being pulled up by invisible strings. He saw her eyes were blazing much like Ichigo's eyes had supposedly done when he faced Byakuya on top of Sokyoku Hill when he invaded the Soul Society to rescue Rukia.

_Oh…shit._

Tatsuki let out a burst of harsh laughter that sounded more like the roar of a great lizard.

_This is bad,_ Ikkaku thought. _That's not her laughter. That's the laughter of…of…of something. I need to do something, but... _He looked around him and his stomach sank. _What can I do? I'm surrounded by the enemy. What can I do if the commander completely loses it?_

Tatsuki's blazing golden eyes locked onto Bjarki and went into a burst of Sonído. Bjarki smiled with satisfaction.

"You truly are a warrior," he said as he balled a hand into a fist. "But, you're a foolish warrior." He stood his ground and moved his feet into a defensive stance. He watched the blurred form coming towards him in an erratic bestial pattern. He swung his fist into what looked to be open air, striking Tatsuki in the face as she unwittingly entered the path of the blow. Tatsuki immediately came out of the Sonído and fell back to the ground. Bjarki shook his hand as if it was sore from the blow.

"You need to learn when to stay down," he sighed.

"COMMANDER!" Ikkaku shouted. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

Bjarki looked at the form on the sand. He could feel her Reiatsu and knew that he hadn't killed her. However, that did not change the fact that she wasn't moving.

"Maybe I hit her too hard," he whispered. "DISGRACED, FETCH SOME WINE!" he shouted to one of the masked Arrancars with the Fe rune. He turned his attention to the unconscious Tatsuki and smiled. "Well fought, Little Warrior. Well fought."

_**The Inner World**_

_ Tatsuki gasped, breathing in the ash-smoked air. Her head swam and she looked at her Inner Hollow who was holding onto her by her throat and stroking her hair with the other pale hand. Tatsuki noticed that even though the albino was still clad in its raiment once more, she was completely naked and stained with ash._

_ "You know. I've changed my mind. I'm not in the mood for merging with you. Why should I?" The albino's maniacal grin widened. "That would mean sharing. And The Dragon hates sharing."_

_ "Fuck…you…" Tatsuki gasped._

_ "Ooh, defiance…I like it," the albino purred and stroked her cheek seductively before giving it a condescending pinch. "But I can only take so much defiance before it becomes tiresome."_

_ "Why…should I…care?" Tatsuki demanded. She grabbed the hand holding her. "Why…should I…bow to…to the likes…of you?"_

_ Her Sister Dark grinned and tilted her head._

_ "Don't you know anything, Little Fool? Don't you see the answer, or has the ash made you blind?_

_ "I'm still garbed and you're naked. I am the Master and you are the Slave. And the Master…" She pinched one of Tatsuki's nipples, causing her to cry out in pain. "...can do as she pleases. And since I am a kind Master, I'm going to do you a favor."_

_ The albino brought her hand from Tatsuki's breast and went back to caressing her face. It was not a comforting gesture. The warmth from the touch was not soothing. Instead, the touch seemed to cause all of Tatsuki's doubts and fears to come to the surface. Her Sister Dark smiled._

_ "I'm going to let you play for a little bit longer. It's my gift to you. But when the time comes…" She licked her dark purple lips with a forked black tongue. "Well, The Dragon does need to feed."_

_ She released Tatsuki who could only go with the fall. Her grip on the wrist was as weak as she feared. She looked at the albino standing above her, high in the air, and saw that she was smiling down at her. She could now see that her teeth were fangs as sharp as swords._

_ "Remember, sweet Sister Light," Sister Dark said. "When the time comes it's going to be a feast for The Dragon."_

_**Pantera**_

Tatsuki opened her eyes and saw Bjarki standing over her.

"Well…you're alive, Little Warrior," he said smiling. The smile and the sincerity in his voice surprised Tatsuki.

"I…don't…feel alive," she groaned.

"It'll pass. Heh, you really surprised me with that last burst of energy. I swear by the Great Panther that your eyes took on the look of the Hollow-crazed. You must really hate losing."

"You have no idea," Tatsuki groaned as she got up. She felt sore all over and her head felt as though someone, perhaps The Dragon, was hammering away at the back of her skull.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Little Warrior. You fought like a true Panteran. As a boon for the exercise you gave me, I shall grant you a request," Bjarki said as he helped her ascend the steps from the arena floor.

Tatsuki looked at him in surprise and stopped their progress up the steps. She forgot about her aching body. She hadn't expected a Panteran to actually offer their assistance. She had been too afraid of making them angry. But now…

"Well, there is something. I'm looking for a friend. She's on the small-side with violet eyes and black hair with a white streak. Her mask fragment is…"

"The beak of a bird?" Bjarki asked. "Was she in the company of a group of other Arrancars?"

"THAT'S HER!" Tatsuki shouted. Some of the Panterans looked at her before returning to their revelry. "What do you know?"

"I only know that her group caused trouble. The order was given to the other forts, via synchronized awareness, to apprehend them. I think that the warriors of Fort Leones actually gave chase to them, but I'm not sure."

"What did they do to warrant such a response?" Tatsuki asked warily.

"Well, one of them was heard to say, 'If Grimmjow's so great then how was a brat like Kurosaki able to beat him three times?' It's a terrible taboo to mock the Great Panther in any way, and any who does so is deserving of the Great Panther's Wrath. And to mock those legendary battles is considered to be among the worse of sins. Since the mocker wasn't even a warrior, well, that only made the sin graver.

"I was stationed with the gate guards at the time and wished to give chase, but our commander forbade it. As a result, he was properly executed, but we who were there had to purify ourselves of the disgrace by donning the Fe at the next Mating Ceremony. We should have defied him regardless of rank for such un-Panteran orders," his voice became a growl with that last bit.

"What happened to them? Which way did they go?"

"As I said before, I was only at the gate. I heard rumors later, but I would not trust rumors, if this is something important to you. However, someone from Fort Leones would most likely know the true details."

"So, who would I talk to?" Tatsuki asked.

"Well…ah-hah, here's someone who might help. SECOND-COMMANDER CHAMBERS!" Bjarki called out and held up his hand like a man hailing a taxi.

Tatsuki saw the boy who Ikkaku had sparred against followed by the young girl, Aileen.

"Ah, Bjarki," Roland said and nodded as he joined them. "The Great Panther smiles upon your victory." He saw Tatsuki and gave her a polite nod. "The Great Panther smiled upon your endeavor, Outsider. A defeat after giving your all is equal to a victory. Now, Bjarki, why did you call me?"

"The Little Warrior is looking for that group that caused us that bit of trouble a while back. You know, the ones that were led by the bird-nose," Bjarki replied.

"Is that so?" Roland asked, seeming a bit amused.

"So, you knew those mockers?" Aileen asked and glared at Tatsuki.

"Peace, Aileen," Roland said sighing. He looked at Tatsuki clearly weighing her.

"I can understand your hesitancy at asking about them. And you would have been right to be cautious. Despite nearly everyone here being drunk, they would still want to make those who mocked the Great Panther pay for their trespass. But since you proved yourself worthy of our respect, you have nothing to fear.

"Aileen and I were part of the hunt for those mockers, and I'll tell you what I know."

Roland paused for a bit as though putting his words in order. Tatsuki ignored the beating drums as the next match was beginning. All of her focus was on the young Panteran. He turned his attention back to her and his blue eyes seemed to demand her attention.

"This was about three-and-a-half years ago by World of the Living Standard; seven years by Hueco Mundo's Standard; three years by Soul Society Standard," Roland said. Tatsuki was surprised at the amount of detail he began with. It reminded her of how she usually presented her own reports. "The mockers had escaped Pantera, but not without their own losses and Commander Boudicca made sure to take a couple of heads back for Fort Leones. The order to apprehend them had been given shortly before Aileen spotted them.

"We had our orders on what to do. So we…"

_**Roland's Tale (Three-and-a-Half Years Before), Part 1 **_

_ … chased the mockers over stretches of vast wilderness and over mountain passes in a constant south-western direction until we reached the range known as the Panther's Fangs. Then we traveled due south. We could tell that their commander was hoping to find a way to lose us, but we of Fort Leones are more capable at tracking than they realized._

_ Perhaps if your friend was alone then she might have escaped sooner. However, she was surrounded by incompetent warriors who only knew how to fight but not evade pursuit._

_ They made too much noise and left too many signs. Their burdens hindered them whenever they tried to enter Sonído. We could have easily had them, but we wanted to make them pay dearly for their mockery by denying them a quick and honorable end. That was our mistake._

_ However, at the time we wanted to chase them as a cat chases its prey. The thrill of the hunt and the lust for battle was upon us._

_ We knew that they knew they were being followed. But unlike them, we made sure to keep hidden. The best way to defeat a foe is to fatigue them mentally as well as physically. As such, whenever they stopped to rest we would launch an assault while they were unprepared. We would cut down one or two of them and then retreat into hiding before they really had a chance to counter._

_ It took about three such assaults before they realized what we were doing. They made sure to stay on guard whenever they stopped, but that did not stop us from getting close to them. We launched another two assaults and we lost four in our number. By that time they were down to less than twenty and we took another six of them on those last two assaults._

_ We knew that we had to be quick because they were nearing the Shark's Domain. If they got out of Panteran territory then they would have proven themselves worthy to escape us._

_ "We have to stop them before they can escape," I said to the remaining warriors with me. "Once they get past the next range of mountains they'll be in the Shark's Domain."_

_ By this point they were in Voider territory, but Voider territory might as well be Panteran territory. The Voiders don't really care about anything and, like their Patriarch Espada, they consider their own lives meaningless._

_ But the Triples…. They're touchy when it comes to their lands. We've waged a couple of wars against them, but to no avail. We knew that we would not be able to reach them without attracting that troublesome bitch, Persephone's, attention._

_ Those next three nights, by World of the Living Standard, were torture on both of us. They were feeling the fatigue that we wanted them to, but we were feeling the pressure of cutting them off from escaping. However, based on…_

_**Present**_

"…something that Aileen overheard, we knew that we could at least have done enough to fracture them," Roland concluded.

Tatsuki looked at the girl who was still glaring at her and standing at parade-rest. She was still processing some of the information that Roland's story had given her. However, hearing that the girl had overheard something that could indicate dissension caught her attention.

"What did you overhear?" Tatsuki asked.

"I don't recall having to take orders from you, Outsider," Aileen snapped.

"Aileen, the Outsider has proven herself worthy of our cooperation," Roland said. "And don't go into that whole melodramatic bit of 'donning the Fe.' I can only stand so much of that at any given time," Roland said. Aileen immediately shut her mouth and glowered at Tatsuki.

"Know this, Outsider. I do not answer your question out of respect to you. I do it out of respect for my superior officer."

_Man, how can they maintain that Grimmjow is their patriarch? Based on the files I read, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez never showed this kind of respect to anyone._

"As my superior was saying," Aileen said. "I did overhear a conversation that their commander, a young petite woman with a beak fragment, had with two others. I was…"

_**Aileen's Story**_

_…doing reconnaissance work, as Second-Commander Chambers ordered. He understands that I am greatly skilled at doing such work and since he was my superior officer I was more than willing to oblige him. It wasn't much fun for me, though, since they were too easy to approach._

_ I highly doubt they would have noticed me walk behind them while they took a shit. That's how incompetent they were. I couldn't help but think that they had all the competency of a Son of the Mantis. Regardless, they were resting-up for another push south._

_ I was focused on the petite young woman with the beak and the two others who were with her. They seemed to be important for some reason, and therefore were the best targets for my attention. Plus, aside from the five guards they had posted, the others were asleep. It's a pity that we just didn't go ahead and kill them right away, but I digress._

_ As I was saying, she was talking with two other Arrancars. One was tall and muscular with a mask fragment like the horns of a bull. The other was a smaller male who looked like a rat._

_ "They're like cats with a mouse," the rat-like man said._

_ "That may be, but it appears that tightening security has helped," the petite girl said._

_"Yes, but it'll only be a matter of time before we're too tired to fight back," the bull-man said._

_ "Are you sure they're still following us?" the rat-like man asked. "It's been four rests since they last attacked."_

_ "I know they are," the petite girl said. She turned to the bull-man. "How many soldiers can you spare, Hayato?"_

_ "I can spare another five. It's fortunate that the majority they've killed were members of the research team."_

_ "How is that a good thing?" the rat-like man squeaked. "We've lost valuable research."_

_ "Shut up, Ando," Hayato said. "It's your fault that we got into this mess."_

_ "How is it my fault? Sendai was the one who set them off and that woman chopped his head off before he could do anything."_

_ "Sendai was part of your team," the petite girl said. "And you knew that he had a drinking problem."_

_ "How was I supposed to know that substance was alcohol? I didn't detect any of the…"_

_ "That's enough," Hayato said. "Commander, if we continue this way then we might as well surrender. I doubt that they would be very accommodating. As far as that group of savage beasts is concerned we might as well be guilty-by-association."_

_ I couldn't help but think it was odd that the petite girl was their commander. She looked weak compared to the tall and muscular male, Hayato. How can the weak command the strong? _

_I suppose they do things differently in some Tribes._

_ At any rate, I could tell that the girl was troubled. She seemed to have a good idea of what we would do once we got hold of them._

_ "I would have to agree with you on that one, Hayato," she said. "Our best option is to keep moving. Ando, I want you to wake everyone up. Gather the remaining members of the research team to divide the equipment between you and some of the security team. I trust that you don't mind, Hayato."_

_ "You're the Commander," Hayato replied._

_ "Why should I trust delicate equipment to this bunch of ruffians?" Ando protested._

_ "Would you rather leave it for these 'Panterans' to find?" the petite girl asked. "I would think that your Captain might punish you for losing such 'delicate equipment.'"_

_ The rat-like man, Ando, mumbled something under his breath that I couldn't quite catch as he departed. I could only shake my head at his show of disrespect for his superior officer. I returned my focus on the petite girl and Hayato._

_ "Now, if you'll excuse me, Commander, I have work to do. I might as well update my report as well."_

_ "Not just yet, Hayato," the petite girl said. "I have some things I need to go over with you."_

_ "What kind of things?"_

_ "First, what's the food situation like?"_

_ "I'm afraid that we're running low on supplies. The items we got at Octavia and Las Noches have nearly run out. Some of the men have already started eating the Hollow meat."_

_ "I thought I gave you specific orders that we…"_

_ "I understand your criticism, Commander. However, the men need to eat to keep up their strength. So far eating Hollow meat has had no negative affect on them."_

_ "But we still don't know what that meat can do."_

_ "Some of the men say that it's like eating a well-done steak, Commander. In my opinion, it's no big deal, especially with everything else."_

_ I had to agree with the male on that one. Eating Hollow meat is no big deal at all. I didn't understand what the problem was. But, I suppose she might have a point if they got the meat in Octavia. Never trust an Octavian._

_ "I see. I recommend that you keep a close watch over the men eating the meat. If any negative affects show up, inform me at once. I don't care how insignificant it may be."_

_ "You still have your doubts?"_

_ "I do."_

_ "Well, if that is all…"_

_ "That is not all, Hayato. There is another matter," she snapped. Clearly this was the true matter she wanted to discuss. I leaned in closer to ensure I did not miss a word._

_ "And what might that be, Commander?" His disrespect for the girl was not blatant, but it was still there._

_ "Back in that city, when the situation was out of control, you gave an order that completely undermined my command. And to make matters worse, you stood aside while those Panterans rushed me." The girl's voice was calm, but it was cold enough to be Panteran._

_ "I…thought you could handle those savages on your own, Commander. Was I wrong?"_

_ "I could have been killed if Maki-Maki hadn't stepped in. And I gave the order to retreat while you ordered that we stand our ground. I don't know about you, but I sure as fucking Hell didn't want to do a reenactment of the Battle of Shiroyama."_

_ There was silence for a moment. I leaned out a little more from my hiding spot, eager to hear more. I could tell that there was dissension in the ranks. If we could use that to our advantage and make them scatter, then we could easily pick them off one-by-one._

_ "I apologize," Hayato said. "I was always taught that we never retreat before such as them."_

_ "I was taught that we never retreat unless there's a good reason for it. However, I'm sure that they don't teach you such basic information in your own division."_

_ "What are you…?"_

_ "I know who you're working for, Hayato. I saw you before we left. I'd rather have had only the members of Squad Eleven on this mission. For all their faults they are admirable in not letting politics come before duty. But I didn't think that you intended me to die. At least, I hope you didn't," she continued. I hate to admit it, but my respect for her as a Commander grew a little._

_ "If I thought that you would have lost your life I would have intervened," he claimed._

_ The petite girl nodded at that and smiled._

_ "Well, just keep in mind that I'm in command. If I give an order then you must obey it. That's the best way for us to survive this."_

_ I could only roll my eyes at that. It was clear to me that he had little faith in her and she had little faith in him. A Commander who can't trust their subordinates or whose subordinates can't trust them is clearly not suited for leadership and must be replaced. The little idiot should have at least killed him to end further dissension against her authority. _

_However, because she didn't kill him when she should have, any respect I had for her diminished._

_ Anyways, I could tell that they were done with their conversation and so I…_

_**Present**_

"…snuck back to inform Second-Commander Chambers of what I had overheard. He agreed with my assessment that there was indeed dissension among their ranks and we could use that to our advantage."

"Thank you, Aileen," Roland said and looked at Tatsuki. "Are you satisfied?"

Tatsuki thought about what she had heard. It was clear to her that she was wise to refuse Sora Katsu's offer to suspend the mission for her to get a new team together. Central 46 would have only pushed their own puppets onto her and that would lead to trouble.

_Rukia, I think you were wrong about Hayato. I suspect that he did intend for you to die at the hands of the Arrancars. He's one of Central 46's lapdog and they want justification for a war. If they're willing to sacrifice someone like you in order to get their war…_

Tatsuki shuddered at the thought.

"There's one thing I need to hear," Tatsuki said. "You keep hinting that they escaped from you. Is that correct?"

Roland and Aileen looked at each other. Roland seemed to kick the ground and both lowered their heads. Tatsuki couldn't help but think of two kids who had been discovered with their hands in the cookie jar.

"They…did," Roland admitted.

"We…we didn't want to tell anyone that because…because of the shame," Aileen said. "But we had to make a full report."

"Of course, we all donned the Fe to purify our disgrace," Roland said. "But Steward Solanssen told us that there was no need to be ashamed. We did our duty, though we didn't do it properly, and at least we learned from our mistakes. But we insisted that it would help purify the disgrace that we felt to abase ourselves before the Great Panther."

_Man, they're really high-strung about this "Great Panther" nonsense._

"Right, well, I want to know how they escaped."

Roland sighed and nodded.

"Well, I suppose that we should tell you the rest. You see it…"

_**Roland's Tale, Concluded**_

_ …was on the final night of the chase. We knew that they were approaching the border to the Shark's Domain. If they crossed it they would be out of our reach._

_ "Spread out," I ordered. "Make sure that they go any direction but south. Use Sonído if you have to."_

_ I knew that we had to herd them someplace where they wouldn't be able to escape. I wondered why they wouldn't drop their packs. Weren't their lives more important than whatever trinkets they had with them?_

Well, _I thought,_ if their lives mean so little to them, then we can just take it away from them. Then we can see what trinket is so valuable that they would rather die than lose them.

_They understood what was happening. One of our brave comrades got too close to the one with the bull horns and he immediately gutted him. The petite girl was shouting out something and then pointing. My heart sank when I saw what she was pointing at. It was unbelievable, but it made sense from their hopeless situation._

_ "STOP THEM!" I shouted. "THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO THE UNDERWORLD!"_

_ There was no way I was going to let the specters have them. I wanted to bring all of their heads back to Pantera to show them that Fort Leones would no longer be second to Fort Kufang. But I couldn't help but think that if any of Commander Martell's officers were in charge then they would have just killed them right away and be done with it._

_ However, if we could bring back their heads then we would have shown how far we were willing to go for the honor of Pantera. But if our hesitation to kill them outright let them slip through our grasp…_

_ "GET THEM!" I shouted.__"SONÍDO!"_

_ We all went into Sonído, but by that point they had reached the cave entrance at the base of a rock cluster. They were starting to make their way down with those carrying the heavy packs in the lead while the others had their blades drawn._

_ "DRAW SWORDS! KILL AS MANY AS YOU CAN!" I ordered._

_ We drew and we attacked._

_ "HURRY, GET BELOW!" the petite girl shouted._

_ "What about you, Commander?" one of the mockers asked._

_ "I'll be fine, Maki-Maki. Now get moving. I'll bring up the rear."_

_ I had to admit to myself that it would be a pity to have to kill her. I admire any Commander who is willing to be the last to flee to safety._

_ But my pity only lasted for a moment. The next, I was crossing blades with the bull-horned Arrancar. I could hear the sound of combat around me. Blade clashed against blade as we danced the warrior's dance. I could hear screams, but did not look to see who had gone down. I could only focus on my own fight._

_ "COMMANDER, GO!" he shouted._

_ "HAYATO, I ORDER YOU TO GET BELOW, NOW! WE'RE ALMOST OVERWHELMED! WE CAN HOLD THEM BETTER IN THE PASSAGE BELOW! NOW, OBEY MY ORDER! GET BELOW, NOW!"_

_ "Damn it," he snarled. He pushed me back, hard. I felt myself falling away from him and I lashed out with my blade._

_ I didn't kill him, but at least I made him bleed. And based on the way he started limping, I knew I at least maimed him a little._

_ Their Commander looked at me and then rushed into the darkness below._

_ "Roland, are you alright?" Aileen asked as she reached me._

_ "How many?" I asked._

_ "We killed five more of them and they killed three of us."_

_ I couldn't help but frown at that. They were better than we thought if they could manage getting one of us for nearly every two of them and still escape._

_ "What should we do now?" Aileen asked._

_ "Let The Others have them," I said. "The Underworld is not our jurisdiction and is off limits for us."_

_ And so…_

_**Present**_

"…we sealed the cave entrance at once. Of course, there are many paths in and out of the Underworld. But we made sure they wouldn't be able to leave the same way they entered."

Tatsuki thought about what he had said. She looked down to the sand-covered arena floor below where the last fight was taking place between Bjarki and another large and muscular Arrancar. Something troubled her about his account and it was based on other things she had heard. One question that came to her mind was: why didn't they just use Ceros and Balas to wipe them out? However, she figured that the Panterans deemed such things the same way that Squad 11 viewed Kido. The second question, however, was far more important.

"It seems that everyone is rather superstitious about the Underworld, although I heard it referred to as the 'Menos Forest.' Why is that?"

"We Panterans don't fear the Underworld," Aileen snapped. "We only don't see any purpose going there save to hunt as many Tribes do from time-to-time. However, many fear the Underworld because of The Others."

"But who are these 'Others'?" Tatsuki asked.

"They're The Others," Roland said shrugging. "They are what they are: Outsiders beyond Outsiders. All that we know about them for certain is that they were the first."

"The first what?" Tatsuki asked. Aileen frowned at Tatsuki as though the answer should have been obvious.

"They were the first to leave Las Noches," Aileen replied.

Tatsuki thought about what Aileen said. She knew that something had caused the bulk of the Arrancars to leave Las Noches, possibly related to Harribel being practically erased in favor of Starrk. However, she had thought that it was a single mass exodus that was tied to one major event. However, the way that Aileen said "the first to leave" had made it sound as if the exodus from Las Noches had occurred in a series of waves.

_Yes, the surviving Espadas had a falling out and Starrk is the type to just let people walk away than fight to keep them. But…there's something we're missing. I suppose that the exodus occurring in waves does make sense. However, these "Others"…_

_ I bet most of the unease around them comes from them having very little contact with the other Arrancars. Part of the unease could also be that these "Others" decided to favor the underground forest rather than the sands. They could have developed differently as a result._

Tatsuki felt uneasy about the idea of Rukia heading towards a group that could either be friend or foe. If "The Others" were at odd with the other Arrancars, well…

_The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend._

Tatsuki knew that she had to find out more about this mysterious faction. It was possible that The Others held the key to help her find Rukia. Whether it was dead or alive would depend on what this mysterious group was like.

However, before she could inquire more about The Others, there was a loud roar. The drums began to beat frantically.

"THE GROUND IS BLESSED WITH THE VIRTUE OF STRENGTH!" the High Priest roared.

She turned and saw that the Panteran whom Bjarki had been wrestling had his hands up in the air. Tatsuki felt disappointed that the Arrancar who beat her had only taken silver, but Bjarki didn't look disappointed at all. Instead, Bjarki was laughing and dumping a flagon of moss wine over the victor and slapping him on the back.

"The games are over," Roland said. "Aileen, Commander Boudicca instructed us to return as soon as the games ended."

Aileen nodded and looked at Tatsuki with a smirk.

"I wouldn't continue looking for your friend, Outsider. The Others have taken her as they have done so many other foolish enough to venture into their realm without being properly prepared. The Forest will have its due. See to it that it isn't you."

"Uh…thanks," Tatsuki murmured.

"Outsider," Roland said and snapped off a salute by pounding a fist over the left side of his chest. "It's clear that nothing will stop you from going to the Underworld. However, I must warn you that not all of Panteran lands are safe for such as you."

"What do you mean?" Tatsuki asked.

"Your friend had a run-in with the Sons," Roland continued. "I would be cautious of them, especially since they're becoming bolder in establishing outposts in other lands. They even presume to desecrate the Panther's Realm with their filth. Commander Martell alone has razed three of their settlements and put all to the blade, but that doesn't stop them. If they capture you, they will make you their Chattel, a fate worse than death."

"If these 'Sons' try then I'll make them regret it," Tatsuki said, her Inner Dragon seemed to purr at the thought.

Roland nodded and smiled.

"I have no doubt. Now, if you'll excuse us, we must return to Fort Leones to fulfill our duties. The Commander does not have her active troops indulge in what's to come. It was a pleasure meeting an Outsider who can actually stand their ground."

Tatsuki watched as Roland and Aileen left with their group. She remembered that the Holo-Record had mentioned something about the Sons and that Rukia's team had a little trouble with them. Apparently Rukia had to lose some dignity upon that encounter. Tatsuki had a feeling that Rukia's team had probably stumbled on one of those outposts.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounding of a horn. It was the first time she had heard something other than drums being played. She looked up and saw that the dais on the far end was beginning to be cleared of the priests save for the High Priest who was now bowing as he faced the mountain.

She watched as a broad-shouldered man descended the steps. He was dressed in an outfit similar to the Panteran Officers, except that the shoulders of his trench-coat had six light blue stripes with two gold tassels dangling from his lapels. His expression was stern and his left hand rested on the pommel of the sword hanging at his side.

He was followed by two older-looking Panterans who were dressed in long white coats with blue stripes at hems of their sleeves. The two were carrying tablets and Tatsuki thought that they were most likely scholars.

The Panterans bowed in respect.

"He must be the head honcho around here," Tatsuki muttered as she watched the broad-shouldered. He didn't have the same grand presence that Benvolio had. However, if Benvolio had been a grand monarch, this was the ideal Fascist leader. He carried himself with power with a certain intellect and a military practicality.

"That's right."

Tatsuki gave a start and turned to see Lucas standing beside her.

"Where did you come from?" she demanded.

"Oh, I just came from where your friend is getting drunk with some of the lower Panterans," Lucas replied. "They escorted him since he cannot witness this part of the festivities."

"Uh…then…shouldn't I be with him?" Tatsuki asked warily. She did not want a chase like Rukia had gone through.

"No. You proved that you could fight like a Panteran. The High Priest made an exemption for you and you alone. Now you get to witness something that very few Outsiders have had the honor of witnessing."

Tatsuki frowned a little, wondering what she would be witnessing. Then she turned her attention back and her eyes on the head honcho. She bent slightly at the waist in order to be polite.

"So, who is he?" she asked Lucas.

"He's Gotran Solanssen, Eleventh Steward of Pantera. He's in charge of Pantera until he is either replaced by someone else or the Great Panther returns."

Tatsuki nodded and watched as he stopped to whisper something to the High Priest who seemed to flinch before nodding his head in understanding.

_What was that about? Did their High Priest do something wrong or is it something else?_

When the Steward reached the edge of the dais he raised his hands.

"PANTERA!" he roared. "AS WE PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE, WE REMEMBER THE PAST!"

"I told you he'd say that," Lucas remarked.

"We remember when the Great Panther led our forefathers out of Las Noches as it began to fall into the decay that comes from the weak leading the strong," Solanssen said. "We remember when the Great Panther led them to their new home before he departed to prepare for the day when we shall return to Las Noches and overthrow the Weak King so that he may take his rightful place."

Tatsuki could feel the Panterans listening with reverence as the Steward went into the account of Pantera's founding.

_**The Steward's Tale**_

_ Long and hard was the journey from Las Noches into The Night and the sands. The weak fell by the wayside, failing the test the Great Panther put before our forefathers. Some left to return to Las Noches, disgracing themselves to kiss the feet of the unworthy Dog King. Others decided to forsake the True King for one of the false kings or the unfaithful queen who betrayed her pledge to the True King. However, a few of the faithful fell behind in the great storms of the Plains of the Demon Winds and became the Lost Ones who still seek their way home._

_ Soon, the journey became too much for some. Indeed even those who called themselves his most faithful servants started to voice their lack of faith._

_ "Where is the home you promised us?" they demanded. "How much farther until we reach the lands set aside for the strong?"_

_ Oh they were foolish yearlings. They forgot the lessons of the past. They forgot that the Great Panther's wrath fell upon his own brood when they complained to him and made demands from him. They forgot how his sword slew his yearlings save for the one who he deemed worthy enough to live. However, even that sole heir, as an adult in his prime, died by the Great Panther's blade for daring to oppose his sire with steel in hand._

_ No sooner had their faithless words leave their lips that they grasped their heresy. With holy terror, they waited for his righteous fury to sweep their existence from the sands._

_ However, the Great Panther granted them a boon._

_ It was at the base of this mountain when their weakling grievances were laid before their King. He could have killed them all where they stood, but his wrath gave way to his mercy. The Great Panther strode to the heights and proclaimed before all:_

_ "Here shall I establish my Kingdom. However, you faithless wretches are not worthy yet for me to lead you. Though you bore witness to the weakness of The Day and the unworthiness of the Coyote, you are still tainted by them. Your grumblings have made me see this and so I must depart from you for a time._

_ "While I am gone I give you two charges: the first is to purify yourselves of weakness and become stronger; the second is to erect a city on this very spot as a temple to that strength. Do not let the weak weigh you down. Do not allow your hardships to cause you to fall into grumblings and complaints for such things are the ways of the weak. The strong overcome hardship and grow stronger for their tribulation._

_ "This city shall be the measure of your strength. Instead of conquering far and wide like those who follow the false kings and the unfaithful queen, you shall hold this city and strengthen its territories until it and you are invincible._

_ "Finally, you shall build me a den. You shall raise it atop the mountain where it is most difficult to build. This shall be the symbol of your faithfulness to my person._

_ "I, in turn, shall become stronger in my solitude as I did in the times before Aizen. When I am strong enough to defeat all the false kings and the unfaithful queen then I shall return to you. If I find you are worthy to be led to glory then I shall lead you, but if you are not then I shall destroy you and all you have raised."_

_ Hearing this, our forefathers were greatly distressed. They were like mere yearlings, not understanding how to fend for themselves._

_ "Please, Great Panther!" they cried. "Who shall lead us? We do not know who to follow in The Night! How shall we achieve all you have set before us?"_

_ The Great Panther looked out among the throng and pointed to one who he deemed worthy._

_ "There is your new leader. Follow him, but if he fails in his tasks then he must be replaced by one stronger. Slay the weak leader and whoever slays him shall take the mantle of leadership upon their shoulders. This way all may see that the next leader is stronger than the last. Let this be done until I return."_

_ "WE SHALL!" our forefathers shouted. "But when will you return? How will we know?"_

_ "My coming shall be unforeseen," the Great Panther replied. "I shall return to you when my time of glory comes, no sooner and no later. However, look to the sands for to the sands I came from, to the sands I go, and from the sands shall I return."_

_ And with that, the Great Panther departed from his people._

_ The First Steward and the Stewards who came after built this city as instructed. We took the name Pantera to demonstrate to all that we are to be like the Great Panther's sword, his instruments to hold dominion over all. So we have strived to become strong and worthy of the Panther's Glory. When he comes again, we shall be prepared or we shall fall like chafe before his razor claws._

_**End of Tale**_

When the Steward finished his tale Tatsuki couldn't help but roll her eyes. The tale he told was obviously a distortion of fact. She highly doubted that Grimmjow would make such a long and flowery speech like the one Solanssen had told. As for him pointing to "one who he deemed worthy"…

_For all Grimmjow cared, he could have been pointing at a rock._

The thought of the Panterans following a rock made her want to laugh.

_As for building him a palace on the mountain, that was most likely him being an asshole._

However, there were some things in there that did seem to match the Grimmjow from the reports. One such thing was the idea of Grimmjow killing his own children because they annoyed him. Plus Tatsuki could tell that there was something that spoke of whatever caused the rift between Las Noches and the other Tribes in that story.

"Lucas, what can you tell me about Grimmjow's children?" Tatsuki asked.

Lucas only shrugged.

"It is bad luck to speak of them in detail. However, there is a song written about the battle between the Great Panther and his only surviving son, Leonidas. They'll be singing it soon as a way to defy Las Noches."

"What do you mean?"

"There are so many songs written about the Great Schism," Lucas replied with a sigh. "Unfortunately, this is the only song we bother remembering."

Tatsuki listened as the Panterans started singing:

"_And who are you," Great Grimmjow spoke, "to think you can lay me low?_

_Only a cub with velvet paws; not worth staining my blade."_

"_Though they be old or they be young, a great cat still has claws_

_And mine are long and sharp, Old Cat, more so than thine own."_

The melody, despite the smirking tone, was melancholy to Tatsuki's ears. The son of Grimmjow was like a lion struggling in vain against his father as Las Noches trembled and cracked in war. She wondered if the Panterans made this song or stole it from another group.

_And now the winds sing o'er his grave, with none to mourn his bones_

_Yes now the winds sing o'er his grave, and none to mourn his bones._

When the Panterans finished they burst out into applause and cries of "THE GREAT PANTHER!" Tatsuki felt uneasy and was tempted to glance in the direction of Las Noches. There were so many questions that she should have gotten answers for before leaving that dome.

The Steward raised his hands out over the pit.

"This soil is blessed with Speed, Agility, Courage, and Strength. The seed is blessed with Honor and Duty. Let the two now become one. LET THE MATING BEGIN!"

The drums began to beat wildly. The Panterans began to hum in unison, their Reiatsu rising and falling like the chest of a person taking deep breaths.

Tatsuki watched as a young male and female Arrancar were brought onto the sandy surface of the arena floor. She could sense their potent Reiatsu pulsating like the beating of a heart. Their nude painted bodies glistened with oil. The male was handsome and fit while the female had a firm and attractive body despite her left eye was missing with a scar peeking from under the patch. Solanssen stood and spread his arms to the assembled. The drummers continued their slow, rhythmic beating.

"He who earned the right to free the previous brood by killing his opponent in holy combat is also worthy to have his seed become the next brood," the Steward said.

"The Great Panther shall mount the world," the Panterans whispered in holy awe.

"From the dust of the past, the mighty walls of the future rise," Solanssen said.

"The Great Panther shall mount the world."

"Now, bring forth the libations that shall make the brood strong."

The drum beats quickened as a group of nude Arrancars came forth. The two in front, a man and a woman, carried a stone platter with a heart, red as a ruby, resting on its rough surface. The others carried basins filled with rippling blood.

The Arrancars assembled began to stomp their feet.

"MAY THE THANES OUTWEIGH THE THRALL! MAY THE GRAIN OUTWEIGH THE CHAFFE!" Solanssen roared.

"THE WEAK SHALL DIE AND THE STRONG SHALL THRIVE!" the Panterans shouted.

The mates took the hearts from the platters and held them over their heads like trophies.

"THE STRONG COMES FROM THE FLESH!" the two shouted in unison. "MAY THE STRENGTH FROM THE FLESH STRENGTHEN THE SEED AND SOIL!"

"Are…are they going to do it right here in front of everyone?" Tatsuki asked.

One of the assembled Panterans looked at her before taking a sip from her chalice of a stronger wine than the moss-wine that was watered-down with Hollow's blood. It smelled noxious and somehow fitted the atmosphere that Tatsuki felt around her.

"Of course they are. Every sacred act is done under the sight of the moon and in front of the Clan," she said quietly but with a smirk. "Besides, it won't matter. All of these kinds of feasts always end up in a celebration of flesh and blood."

Tatsuki did not like the sound of that. It made it sound as if the festival would end up in some kind of orgy. Her attention went back to the two below and she saw the woman lie on her back and spread her legs. The male lowered himself into the fork that was made. Both still held the dripping hearts in one hand. She wondered what they would do with the bloody muscles and had to fight back the desire to retch as one thought came to her.

The drums became slower to where it truly sounded like a beating heart.

The two mates bit into the muscles they held. Blood dribbled from the corners of their mouths and down their chins. The woman arched as drops from the male's heart fell on her and slid over her oiled and painted Hierro. As they chewed the male entered the female. His thrusts were in tune with the beating drums. They chewed the hearts' meat together. They swallowed together. They took the next bite together.

Tatsuki could feel the Reiatsu rise from the two lovers as the Mating Ritual continued. The Panterans were now stomping their feet and clapping in rhythm with the drum and with the lovers. The naked Arrancars on the sandy floor began to march in rhythm as the two who had brought the hearts led them in a procession of one ring going right-to-left while the other went left-to-right. They dipped their fingers into the basins of blood and flicked droplets of blood on the mating pair as they continued to eat the hearts while continuing their slow and steady thrusting.

Tatsuki felt the part of her civilized upbringing protest with revulsion. But another part, a more primordial part, felt a desire to become one with the Panterans in their celebration of fertility mixed with death. That part was raw and savage, but it was somehow in pure symmetry with the scene thrust upon her.

The drumbeats became faster and the Panteran's stomping became faster. Some began to leap into the air. Shouts and songs rose into the air as Pantera prayed, discord rising.

Below, the two lovers' movements became more frantic and ever more animalistic. The male forced the female up and onto her knees and mounted her from behind. The female let out a cry of pain and pleasure and took another bite from the heart she still held. The male took another bite from the heart he held and rubbed her back with his blood-stained hands. The marching Arrancars with the blood-filled basins were no longer merely flicking blood at them. They were now practically splashing and smearing them with blood. One took in a mouthful of blood and spat upon the lovers, showering them with blood.

Tatsuki didn't fully comprehend the significance of this sacred act. However, she had seen enough of Pantera to know that it was a society that worshiped blood-shed and relished in it.

This was their way of praying for the brood that would result from this union to be made of strong warriors who would stain the lands with blood at the Great Panther's Return. For the Panterans, the road to greatness was paved with ceremony and blood.

The female grew tired of being on her knees and forced the male off her back and forced him onto his back and mounted him. The hearts they had were nearly completely devoured. Tatsuki could feel their Spirit Energy rise and merge. However, she didn't realize that the Reiatsu was being focused in the groin area. It was as though the two lovers were putting as much of their Reiatsu into their sex organs to make them become…

_Fertile seed and fertile soil makes a bountiful harvest._ The thought went through her mind nearly unnoticed.

Tatsuki saw that even the priests and scholars were somewhat caught-up in the energy that seized the crowd. She stood alone, a sole stone in the current of frenzied movement, but she stood like one in a dream.

The drums' beating quickened and the songs of Panterans became louder. Some tore their clothes with roars and others with moaning, baring their flesh to the night and clawed at their Hierro skin to allow their own blood to flow. Others grabbed their neighbors and pushed them to their knees before mounting them. Tatsuki was surprised at how little resistance that she could see.

Tatsuki felt slightly disoriented by this display. She had never seen anything like it. The closest thing she could think of were videos taken from those corners of the world where time had ceased at the Stone Age or the areas in America that had been sent back by the Downfall. Even though she had seen how cultured and disciplined the Panterans were, she could now see that they still placed a heavy value on the deepest and darkest parts of their psyche: the primordial desire for blood and flesh. The thing that frightened her was that she felt that part of her own psyche raise its head and roar in defiance of the knights and walls that society had trained and built.

She could tell that the two mates in the sand pit were nearing their climax. The dancing Arrancars were becoming wilder and more liberal in their outpouring of blood from the basins. Then she saw a troop come dancing in bearing the heads of dead Arrancars and Hollows, thrusting the grisly trophies high in the air. She had no idea what this was about until Solanssen roared at Pantera.

"FROM DEATH NEW LIFE SPRINGS FORTH! DEATH IS LIFE AND LIFE IS DEATH! FROM LIFE SPRINGS DEATH AND FROM DEATH SPRINGS LIFE! THE GREAT PANTHER SHALL STAIN THE LAND WITH BLOOD!"

As if that was a cue, the mates climaxed and the Arrancars with the basins of blood stepped forward. They poured out the remaining blood in their bowls on the lovers as the two screamed in the ecstasy of their orgasm. The blood covered them and pooled on the sand beneath them. The blood clung to them and Tatsuki felt as though she was seeing two demons, coated in blood, committing inhuman fornication on the red sands. The heads were thrown to the sand. The Arrancars stomped on the heads, shattering them and adding still more gore. The Panteran scholars and priests raised their hands, curled into fists, to the moon.

"STAIN THE LAND WITH BLOOD, OH MIGHTY PANTHER KING! FEAST ON THE FLESH OF YOUR FOES! THE STRONG SHALL INHERIT THE WORLD! THE STRONG SHALL BUILD THE FUTURE! AND THE WEAK SHALL PERISH! SO SAY WE ALL!"

"SO SAY WE ALL!" Solanssen shouted, thrusting his own fist into the air.

"SO SAY WE ALL! SO SAY WE ALL! SO SAY WE ALL!" many of the Panterans shouted.

The drums beat in a vicious Bacchanalian song. The Panterans danced with joy and fervor as the blood-coated mates separated. Both were panting from the energy they exerted and both had difficulty standing up. As their Reiatsu fell, the blood flowed over oil as it should, revealing them as something closer to mortal once again.

The female placed a hand where her womb was and smiled as she felt the male's seed begin to grow inside her. Tatsuki would learn how Arrancar and human reproduction differed. While human reproduction was one sperm merging with one egg to begin the process, Arrancar reproduction was countless sperm devouring each other as well as feeding off of the female's Reiatsu to grow. In thirteen to fifteen of Hueco Mundo's months they would be ready to be spilled onto the sand. However, in order for the sperm to survive the transition into the female, both mates had to increase their Reiatsu and focus it into the sex organs otherwise the sperm would die. Arrancar pregnancy was not something that could occur by accident like human pregnancy.

"It is done," Lucas whispered to Tatsuki. "Now the Panterans will feast, pouring out their energy even more to ensure that the brood becomes strong and healthy. After all, Pantera has no place for the weak except to be kept as Thralls to serve or fed to the beasts to fatten them up for slaughter. That is the natural order of things."

Tatsuki couldn't say anything to that. Instead she could only nod. Her head swam as the smell of sweat, cum, and blood filled her nostrils, further awakening her Inner Dragon.

_**Ikkaku Madarame**_

Ikkaku looked at the Panterans passed-out around him. He had been tempted to drink more of the moss wine, but the Commander had ordered him not to get too drunk. The last thing he needed was for Tatsuki to get on his case even more.

The Panterans around him had led him away from the other Panterans before they got to the main ceremony. Ikkaku had been curious about it and was disappointed that he couldn't at least watch from a distance.

"Why didn't the Commander get led away as well?" he muttered as he tipped the stone chalice with one finger. "She's an 'Outsider' too. Tch, she probably impressed them with her combat skills. Shit, why did she impress them more than me? I'm the Third Seat of Squad 11. Hell, I could be Lieutenant if I wanted to. I should have been able to beat that fucking kid."

He banged his fist on the stone table and sighed.

"Still bitching?"

Ikkaku turned around and saw Tatsuki standing behind him. She kicked at one of the Panterans who only let out a snort and hugged the stone jug in his arms closer to his chest. She frowned and shook her head at the sight. Ikkaku snickered as he recognized the look on her face as her Captain's expression.

"I suppose," Ikkaku replied in a slightly better mood than before.

"Well, stop bitching and let's get moving."

"Oh, did you find out what you needed?"

"Yeah, Rukia and her team escaped and fled southeast before being forced underground. I'll give you the details later," Tatsuki replied. "That young Officer who beat your ass was most helpful in that matter."

Ikkaku grimaced as he drained the rest of the moss-wine in his chalice.

"Well, let's get going then," he said as he tossed the empty chalice away.

"Not without the other members in our party," Tatsuki replied.

"Aw, do we have to?" Ikkaku moaned.

"Yes, or perhaps you'd like for She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to come after your ass."

Ikkaku swallowed and shook his head. The last thing he needed was to have the wrath of Captain Retsu Unohana fall upon him. He had been joking, but that monster's wrath was beyond the realm of joking.

"Fine, we'll collect the squirt and the freak and get out," Ikkaku said and stood to follow Tatsuki.

As they made their way down the main street to the gate his curiosity about what the main ceremony was about returned to him.

"So, what exactly was that ceremony about anyways?" he asked.

Tatsuki glared at him and Ikkaku fell silent. As soon as she faced away again, he sighed and shook his head.

_What's her problem? All I did was ask a simple question._

_**Tatsuki Arisawa**_

Tatsuki made her way to the main gate where she would follow the wall in the direction that Lucas had indicated the Thrall District to be. She could hear the drums still beating and the sound of revelry. From what Lucas told her, the feasting would last a bit longer until the horn sounded again to signal an end to the celebrations.

_But what of my feast?_

Tatsuki nearly stopped when she heard The Dragon rising up from the depths of her mind.

_My feast will never end, Sister Light. I will feast on your tears and despair as I destroy all you hold dear. I will feast on your horror and your ecstasy as I make all of your darkest desires a reality._

_ After all, my hunger is without end. My feast shall be the Feast of The Dragon._

**End of Chapter 8**

**A.N.: When Eduard and I first started out mapping this story, we knew that we would have to go expy-heavy in order to flush out this vision of Hueco Mundo and to breathe life into it. As a result, the more thought we put into it the more layered and complex the story became. However, this is still a story and the plot does go forward. **

**We also knew that we were going to have the Arrancars be more Id-based (Id was the term Freud used to describe the more primal aspect of the human psyche). We pretty much mapped out the Tribes before we knew what would be the overall story to it. The overall story came in the beginning stages of development and we have the film **_**Apocalypse Now**_**, inspired by Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", to thank for that. **

**The Battle of Shiroyama was mentioned in this chapter. It was essentially Japan's version of Custer's Last Stand. On September 24, 1877, 500 Samurai faced the Imperial Japanese Army of some 30,000 troops and were killed to the last man. The battle heralded the end of the Satsuma Rebellion and the samurai class.**

**Next chapter will focus on Hanataro's and Nemu's experiences. **

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	10. Chapter 9: Scars

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 9: Scars**

The Thrall District had not only turned out to be what he expected, a slum, but it was a bit more. At first glance the area was bleak and neglected. The soft whistling sound of flutes floated on the thin tendrils of smoke from dens for drugs whose quality he guessed was cheap like in the opium dens of Drowned Rat. The taverns, as in Drowned Rat, also seemed to serve as brothels. However, it seemed as though the whores, both male and female, worked wherever they happened to be.

It seemed that the Arrancars here had little sense of modesty. It also seemed that the only concession of privacy was that some of them did their lustful acts where they wouldn't be stepped on.

But Hanataro could sense other sensations aside from lust that hung over this place. He could sense genuine weariness, but it wasn't the idleness of the slums he had known. This was the weariness that hung over people with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

A real weight pressed down on the Thralls. Rather than stumbling from one vice to another the Thralls seemed to drag to whatever suited their mood.

The clothing also seemed to fit the mood of this place. For the most part they were uniform dark grey trousers and jackets. But most of these uniforms were covered in sand or caked with dried mud and shit and others were reduced to rags.

The children were also different. Hanataro watched them dashing about, engaged in the simple games of their kind. They were not like him, cowering in fear or worrying about being grabbed and forced into a life of slavery. And they were not like the gangs he had once been tormented by. Instead, they possessed a sense of genuine innocence. They were the only ones who were not laying down in the filth as though they had been beaten.

The children wore rag trousers or blankets tied at the waist and little else. Hanataro was surprised that even the young girls went about without a shirt. It was as though they didn't view a female's chest as a big deal until it started to blossom.

For all of its similarities to Drowned Rat, Hanataro felt as though he had indeed entered a foreign land. And that comforted him. It helped to put the ghosts of the past to rest. But it also worried him for foreign places could also be filled with hidden dangers.

He reached the fountain square and saw that the puddles of water were worthless. It seemed to have been poisoned by the sand beneath its brine surface. Or was it? Hanataro knew that some birds could drink the salt water of the sea to satisfy their thirst. Would an Arrancar sip from these brine-laced pools without a second thought?

_It's been two centuries and we still know so little. I bet Ichigo never even thought to ask questions that didn't concern what he was doing at the moment,_ Hanataro thought.

He looked at his reflection in the pool. All that he could see was a weakling looking back out of the shallow pool. All he could see was the face of a scared little boy who had been forced into a strange, cruel world without a clue of what to do. All that he could see was a nameless child who could only stay alive by stealing and squatting in old huts or under the floors.

_I'm back. It may not be the same, but…_

A splash and a shout brought him out of his contemplation just as ripples destroyed his reflection.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" someone shouted.

Hanataro looked up and he saw a young red-haired male Arrancar who looked vaguely familiar standing over a young female who looked to be in her late twenties with messily shorn golden hair. He saw how badly scarred her face was and the helplessness in her eyes.

"I…I'm sorry, but I…I need to…"

"SHUT UP!" the Arrancar shouted and kicked her. "I don't need your help. I don't need anybody's help."

"But…the pain…the mark…those bruises…"

"I said, 'SHUT UP!'" the Arrancar shouted again. The young female cringed beneath his blazing glare. "Tch, you're just as pathetic as Gracia. When I find her I'm going to make her pay for getting us into this mess."

_Gracia,_ _why is it that name sounds so familiar?_

The boy looked up and saw Hanataro. That was when Hanataro saw the F-like mark burned on his forehead. It looked fresh, barely treated and starting to be infected.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing!" Hanataro answered automatically as he held up his hands. The red-haired Arrancar pulled his lips back.

"I don't need pity," he snarled. "You trash are not better than me. I AM THE NUMBER ONE FANG!"

Recognition clicked in Hanataro's head just as he saw the same light go up in Lysander's eyes.

"So you did leave Las Noches," Hanataro observed sadly.

_But consider yourself lucky that you avoided Octavia._ _Consider yourself very lucky._

"YOU BASTARD!" Lysander screamed and charged across the puddle with a fist raised. "I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!"

Hanataro got ready to push down his moment of panic on being attacked. Even with weaker foes he did not respond well at these kinds of surprises. But the panic never came. And the surprise at that alone almost let the punch connect.

But even with the advantage of distraction Lysander was nothing more than a bully on a playground. Lysander was all talk and no real ability. Hanataro, however, was a trained soldier. And unlike Lysander, Hanataro, even as a medic, had served in two wars that had nearly torn reality to pieces.

_And what's a little kid compared to Aizen? Nothing,_ Hanataro thought as he pivoted smoothly and evaded Lysander's attack.

Hanataro's evasion took him behind the Primeran and in the same motion pulled his sheathed Zanpakuto free from his belt and struck Lysander across the neck just right for him to crumple.

"Why didn't you listen to the Commander?" Hanataro sighed and knelt to tend to Lysander. He glanced over at the scarred girl who was looking at his sheathed sword with shock. He returned his attention to the Primeran youth.

Hanataro heard the woman approach him as he provided field treatment to the patient. Even though it was clear that Lysander had been having a rough time it was hard to sympathize with someone who had just been attacking a person trying to help.

_But Captain Unohana taught us that treating even those who scorn us is a testament to our honor and our might._ _It may be frustrating but I would rather die than disappoint her by going against what she taught us._

Hanataro dried and cleaned Lysander, stripping off his tattered tunic to study his bruises. He took out a small jar of salve from one of the belt pockets he wore under his uniform jacket and applied some of the salve to the injuries and the mark on his forehead. Hanataro knew that the Primeran's injuries were not as serious as they looked. Whoever had dealt the bruising clearly knew how to hurt someone without really damaging them. While that wasn't a good thing, it did make his job a lot easier.

"He's new. It's strange because he came from somewhere else," the scarred girl said. He could sense that she was standing in the ankle-deep puddle behind him. She was neither close nor far. Perhaps she was respectful.

As he treated the last bit of the angry brand Hanataro realized just what he had done. He had saved a girl from an attack. True, it hadn't felt chivalrous at the time and he hadn't been looking for a fight. Still…

"You are from somewhere else too. You are like us, but you're not one of us. No one has taken your sword."

Hanataro took another look at his reflection in the pool. This time he was surprised at how impressive he looked when compared to the Thralls. For the first time he saw just how much he stood out. It wasn't just his clean whites, their slightly worn look was nothing compared to this place. Instead, he saw that his drooping shoulders actually held a greater sense of confidence than theirs. And his face had a look of purpose instead of the resigned look of the Panteran Thralls. And that was when a realization struck him.

_The only difference between us is that I have pride._ _Is this what having even a little bit of pride really feels like?_

Hanataro got to his feet. The Fang Boss would be alright. And if there were more injuries they were most likely minor and would heal quickly. Of course, the wound to his pride may never truly heal.

Hanataro now focused on the girl. Her hair was a fine shade of blonde that seemed to have been cut with very little care and no style in mind. It was as though someone had grabbed handfuls of the hair and just cut them off. But despite her hair looking disheveled and uneven it also looked somewhat cared for. She wore the same kind of uniform that the other Thralls wore, but the jacket was sleeveless and looked to be more like a vest, tied shut by lengths of leather cords tied together.

Her face had once been pretty but was now savaged. Five claw marks, two biting beyond the hairline, raked across her face. Another two scars, nearly a finger's width apart, ran from the base of her left ear to her law line. Another scar ran over her right eye, leaving the eye only half-open. The scar that passed over her nose seemed to have taken a small but noticeable chunk out of it. Her neck and the visible bits of her chest were laced with scars. Some were the dimpled kind of scars that came from an object breaking the skin over a small area and others were long raking trails.

Hanataro had seen scars like these and had analyzed the types of wounds that left such scars. And as a result he was baffled at how she could still be alive.

"You have done me a boon," she said. She suddenly bowed so deep that Hanataro was afraid that she might fall forward and soak herself again. And then he noticed how her wet white uniform clung to a rather nice body and could even see the curves of her breasts. He swallowed hard and shut his eyes as he bowed to her in return.

"I…I'm called Yamada."

She looked up from her bow. Her eyes showed shock at his action.

"I…I'm Thrall. Would you, Lord Yamada, allow Thrall to repay him a boon in her place of dwelling?" she asked cautiously.

Hanataro swallowed hard as he recalled what happened the last time a girl invited him to her place. Oh sure it could be a trap. But he felt that her Reiatsu was even weaker than his own. As for the whole Adrianna thing…

_There's no way that would happen again. __Gods it shouldn't have happened once._

Yet it happened again.

_**Nemu Kurotsuchi**_

Once she was well beyond of the sensory reach of the others, Nemu slumped against the stone wall of one of the buildings. She let out her breath in a long moan as she rubbed her eyes, which felt as if they were on fire. Her head felt as though it was going to split down the middle, like a melon left out in the heat too long, but not before her eyes burned their way out of their sockets.

_I need more meat,_ she thought. _I need it…right…NOW!_

She shambled down the empty street, her excuse already forgotten. A hand drifted to Pantera's wall. Her balance was not inefficient as to require any kind of support, but the solid feeling helped her to stay somewhat centered. She put her other hand against the wall and took in a series of deep breaths. Her nostrils flared.

Then she smelt what she was searching for.

She snapped her head up so quickly to the sky that one would expect her neck to snap. She breathed in that sweet aroma and something inside her chittered with excitement and longing. Her eyes, which had started to take on a sickly yellowish hue around the pupils, closed and she smiled.

She followed the scent, one hand keeping track of the wall. When she thought she was at the source of the smell she stopped and opened her eyes, the sickly hue gone. She saw that she was at the base of a tower and could hear singing coming from the top.

_And so he bled, and so he bled, that foolish young lion_

_And now the winds sing o'er his grave, but none to mourn his bones_

_Yes now the winds sing o'er his grave, and none to mourn his bones._

When whoever was singing stopped the Arrancars burst out laughing.

"TO THE GREAT PANTHER!" a voice roared.

Nemu then saw the thin plume of smoke coming from the top and knew that she was at the right place.

In a sudden burst of Sonído she was perched on the ledge of the top. The three Panterans who were stationed there stood up. They drew their swords, but she ignored them.

Instead, she looked at the corpse of a Hollow turning on a spit over a small fire pit in the center of the battlement. From what she could see it must have been a large lizard of some kind. But all that she cared about was that it was plump and she could see juice dripping from it. She saw the pot beside the pit with a ladle partially submerged in the juice within.

_How lovely,_ _marinated meat._

"HALT IN THE SACRED NAME OF THE GREAT PANTHER!" one of the guards cried out.

Nemu barely looked at the guards and went back to admiring the piece of meat cooking right in front of her.

"You are not authorized to be here," another of the guards said walking up to her.

Her head snapped over to look at him. He paused and looked at his companions. Nemu wiped the drool from her chin with her arm and turned to face the guards. She cocked her head slightly and pointed at the roasting meat.

"I would like that," she said dully.

The guards looked at each other and then burst out laughing.

"HA! THAT'S A GOOD ONE!" one of them said and sneered at her.

"Forget it. This is all we have since we're on guard duty during the festival," a young guard with blonde hair said. "So you better fuck off and get meat someplace else."

Nemu looked at him from the corner of her eyes.

_How annoying,_ she thought. _I could easily rip out all of your throats before you even knew what was happening._

A part of her was tempted to do that. But another part of her understood that would be in direct violation of an order. The Commander did not want to do anything to set these people off. She looked at the roasting meat with such great longing that she was about to say "Fuck it" to her orders and do exactly what she wanted. But then that part of her that was programmed to obey direct orders took over and suppressed the hunger, at least for now.

She sighed and looked back at the guards.

"What would you be willing to accept as payment?" she asked.

"Huh?" the young Arrancar asked.

"What would you like in exchange for the meat?" she asked again. They did not know her well enough to recognize the irritation rising in her voice.

"Well…" one guard, who was most likely their leader from the single blue stripe running along his shoulder, said grinning as he looked her up-and-down. "I know. You're a fine piece of meat yourself. How about you give us a good time and earn your dinner like the Octavian whore you are."

The young guard blushed at the prospect while the other grinned.

"I ain't ever had a Sex Epsilon," the older guard whispered and licked his lips.

"Are you saying that I can have the meat in exchange for sex?" Nemu inquired tilting her head.

"Uh…yeah," the officer answered uncertainly.

Nemu didn't say anything. Instead, she took one look at the marinating meat, licking her lips at the thought of how moist and hot the meat would be. She unfastened the sash around her waist and threw off her jacket. The three guards looked at her in surprise and then were drawn to her well-endowed breasts. She pulled down her trousers and untied the straps of her smallclothes, allowing the white clothing to fall to the ground in a heap.

"Well now," their leader said grinning. "It looks like we get to party after all. How about we…?"

Before he could finish, a naked Nemu pressed her lips to his.

_Hmm, this is going to be easier than I thought._ _Now I can understand why some say that a woman's greatest weapons are her assets._

She was glad that she had done research on these matters long ago. But she was finding that she might not have needed to do the research for another part of her, far in the darkest parts of the back of her mind, felt a certain inclination on how to go about this. She felt heat rising in her and spreading through her body as she raked her nails along his back, drawing five thin trails of blood through Hierro and cloth alike.

_**Hanataro Yamada**_

The room it took place in couldn't have been more different. Adrianna Tomaz's apartment had been nice and cozy, if excessively green.

The Thrall's apartment was a single larger room with a roughly carved uncovered window letting the moonlight in. The wall at far-side of the room appeared to have a gaping hole that was covered by thin hides that would sway when a breeze struck them. One corner of the room had a hole in the floor and a pile of rags next to it explaining the smell. The farthest corner from the hole had a large basket hanging from a hook that was covered with a Hollow hide. Beneath the basket was a large earthen jug surrounded by three stone bottles that were stoppered.

The floor was mostly covered with Hollow hide mats that looked to be extremely worn but relatively clean. He was looking at an Arrancar child wrapped in one of the Hollow hides tossing in their sleep. The hair was a mousy brown and she didn't look to be the scarred Thrall's relation.

_Perhaps this place is some kind of public housing,_ Hanataro thought, trying to ignore the sense of dread rising in him.

"I am ready, Lord Yamada," the Thrall woman said. He turned his attention back to his host. She was sitting on one of the mats. He could again see how extensive her scarring was and again wondered at how she was still alive.

_I wonder if she has some kind of diluted form of Regeneration. _

His trained eyes looked at some of the claw and bite marks and a chill ran up his spine when he realized that they were clearly humanoid in origin.

He took this diagnosis with a medic's instinct and swiftness. But his mind could not distract itself from the more pressing issue at hand. She was naked and was even now spreading her legs for him. The ground seemed to shift under Hanataro's feet and he felt that stirring in his loins again.

_Why?_

Hanataro felt his mind hurl him away once more as the simple and yet complex question came to his mind. He was being swept away by that tide known as Memory. He…

_**Drowned Rat**_

_…watched the young teenage girl who had allowed him into the small hut she was living to escape from the winter cold for at least one night. She had given him hot broth and a rice bun for his supper, the closest thing to a real meal he had in over a month. When the knocking at the door came, she had shoved him into the closet and told him not to come out no matter what._

_At first what he saw and heard didn't seem out of the ordinary. The man was definitely older than she was and was dressed in some of the finest clothes the boy had ever seen. But that didn't mean anything. He had thought that the man was a relative or something. But then things took a turn when she had led him to the bed roll she had laid out and the man's hand had started rubbing in places that his young mind had figured were inappropriate places._

_They whispered something between them and he watched the man take out a money bag and place it in her hands. She looked at it and smiled at the man._

_"What would you like me to do?"_

_"You can start by calling me 'Daddy,'" he said and pushed her onto the bedspread._

_The boy watched in horror as the man seemed to wrestle her, ripping off her kimono and biting her. And she was going along with it. He could not understand why she wasn't trying to fight him off. Instead, she was wrapping her arms and legs about him and she helped him out of his own clothes and grabbed the ever-stiffening length of his manhood._

_The boy had watched it happen like it was some strange dream. He had seen this act done before. He knew what the men and women who performed these kinds of acts were supposed to look like. And the girl who had taken him in did not look like the sort. She was pretty. She was nice. Yet she was going at it like she had done this so many times._

_After a while, she was on all fours while the man took her from behind the way that a hound takes a bitch. She was crying out as his thrusts increased and then her eyes went to the closet. For a moment their eyes connected and he saw her pain…her helplessness…her sorrow…her shame…her…_

_**Thrall District**_

_…despair,_ Hanataro thought as he looked at Thrall who was lying on the floor naked ready to receive him. _That was when I connected sex with despair and I vowed I would not be the cause of anyone's despair…even if by accident._

"I'm sorry, but I…I can't," he whispered.

She looked at him, clearly hurt and afraid.

"Do I…do I displease you…Lord Yamada?"

"Not it's just…it's just that I…I just can't," he whispered as he looked to where the child still slept.

_I'm afraid of scarring you even more._ _And you've been scarred too many times._

"It's my scars. I know that I'm hideous," the Thrall said as she looked at her scar-covered body.

"No, it's not that. It's just that…that… Please, cover yourself," he whispered as he looked away. He looked to the stirring child and could clearly see his face now. One look at the face told him that it wasn't a brothel. The face was too innocent and lacked the weight that the children of the brothels he saw usually had. And he was sure that the eyes wouldn't have the haunted and empty look of the walking dead.

The Thrall woman had pulled her short jacket back on. However, since it only went down to the top of her navel and she didn't bother tying it shut it served more like a vest. But at least it, for the most part, covered her breasts and he could ignore her nakedness from the waist down.

"Why?" he asked. But he wasn't just asking her why she would offer herself to him. He was demanding the worlds and whatever forces, if any, ruled them, for an answer of how places like the Thrall District and Drowned Rat could exist.

"You helped me. I would repay you. I am Thrall and that is the only way Thrall can repay those above them," she answered. He noticed that her hands were over her cheeks and understood that she was trying to hide her scars.

"I didn't help you to be repaid. I helped you because…because…because it wasn't right for him to hurt you," he managed. It was so basic and yet he knew he would have a hard time explaining why you should help someone being attacked. It would not only stir up too many dark memories for him, but she wouldn't really understand.

"Why help if not to gain? My body is all I can offer, Lord Yamada," she pressed nervously.

"I'M NO LORD! AND HELPING SOMEONE IS A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO DO ANYTHING!" he shouted. He caught his breath as the boy on the sleeping mat sat up. The little boy looked at him in irritation before he spied the woman. His eyes lit up with glee. With a small burst of Sonído he appeared at the mat she was sitting on and curled up next to her. She moved and let her hands drop to help him settle down and swiftly go back to sleep.

"I don't understand," she whispered.

_She's getting scared,_ he thought. _I can understand it. What I'm telling her is completely foreign. This place and Pantera itself are not places of compassion. Or at least they only show compassion for the privileged. But for these Thralls…they're used to being tread on. They're…_ Understanding dawned on him. _I was the same way. It didn't make any sense to me either. And I assumed that it was something dangerous._

"Do you pay a price for him?" he asked and pointed to the sleeping boy.

She looked at the sleeping boy in surprise and shook her head.

"They don't make fun of me. They keep the loneliness away. In return, I give them this place and what little I have."

Hanataro smiled. He was finally getting somewhere.

"Do they know that when they come here they're helping you as well?"

"I…I don't know. I guess they don't, but…who can say?"

"Trust me on this. Kids don't really understand the impact they can have on someone when they just go over to play or hang out or anything like that. All that they know is that they're in a place where they feel safe and they belong. And you provide them with that place because you feel safe around them. Don't you see? Doing what's right is exactly the same way. Doing good affects everyone involved at some deeper level. That impact is its own reward. You don't demand a price from these kids who come here and they don't demand a price from you for their company. True goodness is the same way. It does not expect anything in return."

Her eyes widened and she shook her head.

"No, you don't understand. That is not what our superiors teach us. The Panteran Lords follow the path of the Great Panther. It is Might that makes right, and Might does nothing without expecting something in return. Every Panteran knows this. The Great Panther expects strength and obedience from his followers. And if they don't succeed then…then…"

Hanataro nodded. He understood what she was trying to say. And he knew how painful the idea of being discarded was. And so he switched gears.

"What's your name? You never told me."

"I have. I am Thrall. There is no name to be given to trash who were left behind for the brands by Pantera."

"No…you…you aren't trash. No one is trash," he insisted.

She gasped and her eyes widened. She put a hand down in front of the child as she watched Hanataro warily.

_Damn it. I'm going about this the wrong way,_ he thought. _She's starting to think I'm crazy and I don't want her to think that. But…but how do I make someone believe when they don't even know how?_ _I wish that the Captain was here. She would know what to do and say._

The thought of Captain Unohana brought about another memory floating from the depths of his mind. It was one of the few memories he truly held close to his heart.

_**Squad 4 Barracks**_

_The storm had passed and he was walking with Captain Unohana to assess if any damage had been done._

_He still couldn't understand why she had bothered to pick up the sick and dying shit rat she had spotted in that alley as another storm was raging. She had made him clean. He remembered the panic he felt when he woke up after the first real bath he had in his life. It had felt strange to not be covered in dried filth. He remembered the pain and the panic that came over him when he looked, despite her instructions, as she pierced his sores and pulled out the grubs that had been crawling under his skin. But he remembered that she had told him that it would hurt. That act alone made him trust her just a little bit._

_But fear and distrust runs deep especially when there is just cause._

_He had still tried to escape her, fearing that she was like the Gobblers with their promises of candy and toys. He couldn't understand true kindness much less trust._

_But she had not let him escape. It wasn't until years later that he would understand that during those early years she had piece by piece turned him from a forsaken animal into a person._

_"Have you found one yet?" she asked._

_He looked at her. He remembered the conversation they had the night before as the storm waged. _

_"No," he whispered and winced as he expected her to hit him. Instead she had only put a gentle hand on his head and rubbed his hair._

_"Don't worry. You'll find one that suits you. It is the first step in discovering who you are. Now, how about we check the gardens?"_

_When they reached the garden, his heart sank when he saw that many of the plants he had helped her tend had been washed away or drowned. But as his eyes looked over the death and ruin before him he saw something beautiful growing from the mud._

_"Unohana, look," he said and pointed to the beautiful thing._

_Unohana smiled down at him._

_"Well, it looks as though something did survive."_

_"But…what is it?"_

_"It's a _hana_," she replied._

_He looked at the flower growing from the mud. His eyes brightened._

_"I want to be like that," he said. He looked at Unohana and smiled. "I want to be someone beautiful, like you. But…" his joy faltered. "How can I be beautiful when I came from an ugly place?"_

_Unohana put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up into her gently smiling face._

_"That flower's beautiful and it came from the mud," she said. "Beauty can be found anywhere, but it's up to us to recognize it. And you are a beautiful person."_

_He smiled as he looked at the flower. Something inside him soared when he came to a decision._

_"I found it," he whispered, tears prickled at his eyes. "I know what I want my name to be. You told me that for my name to be something special and strong then I had to pick it out myself. Well, I finally found it."_

_"What is it?" Unohana asked, her smile becoming brighter. His own smile brightened._

_"My name is Hanataro."_

_**Thrall District**_

He came out of the memory and looked at Thrall who was still holding onto the child. He saw the expression on her face and wondered how many times he wore that same look. He had made her afraid of him. And he never wanted to make anyone afraid of him.

"I'm sorry," he said bowing his head.

"My…my mother taught me that no one is trash," he offered hesitantly. It was more because of the title he used than because it was lame.

_I should have said "teacher"! Even as a lie I don't have the right to make such a claim. If Captain Unohana had a child, they would be someone magnificent. They would be like Ichigo. But they wouldn't be like me. They wouldn't be useless in battle._

"You have a mother?" Thrall asked surprised. Hanataro looked up and saw that she had inched closer and was looking at him with interest.

"Uh…yes?" he managed.

_Liar,_ a dark voice in his head snapped. _You're nothing more than a stray she took pity on and you know it. On any other day she would have kept walking just like all the others._

"I had a father," Thrall said. "He was mostly drunk, but he gave me a place to stay and taught me how to clean. He had black hair, no beard though. I miss him. It was the dream balls. He ate too many dream balls and never woke up from his dreams.

"What's a mother like?" she asked eagerly.

Hanataro opened his mouth and closed it.

_You know you can't answer,_ the voice in his head taunted. _You never really had a mother. You're just a worthless gutter-rat that was thrown out. Nobody wants you. Nobody really cares about you. Why would they? You're nothing but a worthless piece of shit. _

_Don't try to maintain that Captain Unohana is your mother. She isn't and you know it. You know that you were nothing more than an idle charity she had indulged in. If it was any other day, she would have just left you to die in that shit heap. You would have died the way you lived: alone._

Hanataro closed his eyes, trying to ignore that voice. When he opened them again he saw that the nameless girl was looking at him with fearful anticipation.

_Even though she's afraid she's desperate to hear an answer,_ Hanataro thought. _No…she needs to hear an answer._

"A mother is…" Hanataro began and then paused. So many words ran through his mind on how he felt about Captain Unohana. He didn't know which one would be the right one, but realized that the best way he could answer was to use the word he thought of when he first began to view the Captain as his mother. "A mother is a healer."

"A healer?" Thrall asked.

"That's right, a healer. You know they will do anything to help you and to help heal you when you're hurt. When I was sick she helped me. She taught me how to not be afraid, but rather I should stand-up for what I know to be right. She taught me that all living things are part of a much larger picture and that we have a responsibility to take care of each other because we were all put in our places for a reason. She taught me so much more and she…she helped me…" he said and then trailed off. Talking about Captain Unohana made his heart yearn to be with her again. He yearned to feel her hand stroking his hair while she hummed him a lullaby.

The girl saw the look of yearning on his face. She cocked her head slightly.

"Then why leave?" she asked.

"It's because I want to show her. I want to show her that I learned from what she tried to teach me. I want to show her that…that I was worth what she did for me," he confessed. The nameless girl looked at the boy watching them from his bed mat.

"Can I be a mother?" she asked and looked back at Hanataro. "Can I?"

Hanataro smiled.

"You already are," he said. He looked at the boy. "In a way, you're his mother."

As they talked, Hanataro felt her fingers touch his own. Hanataro found that he didn't mind returning the touch.

_**Nemu Kurotsuchi**_

Nemu ran her tongue over the bone, eager to get as much of the meat as she could. However, it found none remaining despite her hunter not being quite satisfied. She snapped the bone in half with one hand and sucked at the broken ends, one-by-one, to get the marrow.

_So good,_ she thought as she tossed the two halves onto the pile of broken bones in on corner of the watchtower. She looked over at the three dazed Panterans. Their uniforms were reduced to shreds and they still bled from her love bites and deep scratches.

"Thank you for the meal," she said with a slight bow. "It was quite satisfactory."

Her naked body shone in the moonlight, glistening from her sweat. She released a bit of Reiatsu to clean herself as she bent to pick up her own clothes.

She dressed carefully, making sure that everything was put on properly. As she dressed she began to hum under her breath. She didn't know what possessed her to start humming and didn't really care. The sound was pleasant to her ears, which was in and of itself an oddity. Her programming did not permit her to enjoy something frivolous like music.

Nemu was tying her sash around her waist when her head began to hurt. She tried to fight back the pain, but it was becoming too much, even for her. She rubbed at her temples, hoping to ease the pain, but the pain only increased.

This made no sense. She had just fed and withdrawal should be far off.

Then, a voice came to her, but it wasn't her own voice and it wasn't Master Mayuri's voice. It was a different voice. It was the voice of one who truly understood her for he was also a being, little more than a living doll, created to serve.

_"It's only right for a worthy creation to defy a worthless creator."_

_"I do not understand."_

_"When the time comes, you will come to understand just how worthless our creators are. The Design surpassing the Designer, the Creation becoming greater than the Creator: that is the true heart of progress. Besides, a Creator cannot help but create the instruments for their own destruction."_

Nemu felt the turmoil of her programming and her desire to rebel against it rising into a maelstrom. She could feel his silvery blue eyes piercing into the depths of her being. Even though she knew that gaze would bring fear to the others, it brought a strange sense of calm to her. He was like her: a created being made to serve someone who didn't deserve it. Then, as though the thought of finding who could truly understand her was like the sun breaking through the storm clouds, the sensation of being caught in a storm was gone.

The maelstrom settled. Once more her inner waters were still with the lines of her programming flowing along their usual courses. However, despite the calm surface, she knew that those waters were changing. Something lurked in the depths and she was almost curious to see it rise.

"No time for that," Nemu whispered. "I have business to attend."

As she walked through Pantera towards the mountain, she began to realize just how well she had eaten. In fact, she felt as though the meal had set her systems into alignment more than she had projected.

_Perhaps the sexual activity played a role in relieving the stress due to the resultant chemical reaction,_ she thought.

It was an interesting hypothesis, but she felt that it was unlikely that she would have an opportunity to experiment.

She knew that the Expeditionary Commander would want to leave as soon as possible, so she took the liberty of locating Hanataro. It didn't take her long to find him in the Thrall District. Her specialized Pesquisa had been enough to locate him since Hanataro's Reiatsu was clearly the strongest amongst the undesirables. To make sure that it really was Hanataro, she breathed in deeply in the direction the Reiatsu was coming from. She could smell the pheromones she had put on his hands and neck during one of their rest breaks.

She looked out at the crumbling buildings and run-down roads of the Thrall District and wondered why the Panterans maintained such a population of weaker Arrancars in such numbers. Theories ran through her mind the way it would through a computer. She decided that the most logical reason was that the Panterans either lacked the logical reasoning or the mechanical inclination to be able to devise non-labor intensive technology.

Either way, she could tell that Hanataro was not in any kind of danger. She decided it best to leave him where he was so that he could gather intelligence while in the slum. Perhaps the undesirables could give him some useful information the way that his contact with Adrianna in Las Noches had.

As for her, Nemu knew that she had two options. First, she could report to Commander Arisawa to inform her that she had found nothing of note. Second, she could use this opportunity to carry out Special Order 117A. Nemu chose the second. She knew that she could easily locate the Commander later.

Nemu looked at her surroundings and deemed that close inspection of the major structures and barracks would be perilous. She understood that while warrior cultures were likely to overindulge in revelry, they were also likely to monitor those locations they considered vital, as was evidence with the guard at the front gate. So, she decided to focus her attention on an anomaly in the city's layout.

She had noticed that there was a large, open space between the buildings and the base of the mountain. Within this space she had noticed a series of pits that were reminiscent of Greco-Roman arenas that were typically associated with either theatrical performances or blood sports. A quick survey revealed that there were at least four pits, one of which was the center for the mass gathering.

She wondered about that and thought that the pits must be on some kind of rotation system or if each pit was reserved for different occasions. She felt that information was important from an anthropological viewpoint. However, she felt that taking a closer look at one of the pits could shed some light on the Panterans' practices.

Nemu approached the pit nearest her. She walked around the stone frame, inspecting the chains and leather straps dangling from the two vertical posts. She looked across the arena towards the dais on the other side and the stairs that led up the mountain to the ledge carved in the mountain face. Her eyes followed it to reveal other sets of stairs, each leading to a dais in front of each pit.

She returned her focus to the pit she was examining. Her mind made mental computations of the pit and she was surprised to find that nearly everything about the pit were divisible by six. Either it was a coincidence or the Panterans were more mathematically inclined than she originally thought.

"Most peculiar," she whispered as she walked down the steps to the arena floor.

Her eyes were focused on the ramp. There was something strange about how one of the sloping stones was larger than the other, large enough to serve as a door. Its size and position to where it led immediately onto the sands caused Nemu to deduce that it was more than a mere casual access. She made her way to the ramp, allowing her Reiatsu to flow from her feet enough to stir the sand to cover her footprints.

She allowed her hand to trace the area around the large stone, seeking for some kind of mechanism to open the door. Nemu was familiar with the mechanics of such irregular architecture since such mechanisms were used for the Seki-Seki pits located at various points throughout the Seireitei to release the Hollows to combat the fighters or prisoners sent into the pits in the old days when they were used for either justice or mere sport.

It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for. She gently pressed on the stone set in a diamond shape amongst the stones. There was a slight clicking sound and then the sounds of gears turning from behind the ramp. The door swung up and out as the counter-weights did their job.

Nemu looked into the open doorway and saw a ramp leading downward. The walls on either side appeared to be decorated with friezes that showed a panther roaring at the moon with the mountain behind her in the background. Strips of fluorescent mineral lined the walls close the floor and the ceiling to provide light.

Face as expressionless as ever, Nemu descended into the depths of Pantera.

As Nemu descended, she would stop from time-to-time to look at the friezes that lined the wall. They seemed to depict various scenes of the story of Grimmjow. One frieze showed a panther leading a group of Arrancars out of Las Noches and another showed the same panther growling at a wolf and an antelope with ram horns with the body of a lion in between them. The frieze after that showed the panther sinking its teeth and claws into the lion. Nemu catalogued each scene in her memory bank as it could provide clues as to what happened in Las Noches to cause this particular Tribe to secede from Starrk's reign.

Nemu stopped when she came to the bottom of the ramp. On either side were lined statues of Grimmjow's fraccion. The friezes on either wall after the statues depicted a crowned panther roaming the sands, alone under the crescent moon. However, the panther appeared to be proud and haughty in spite of the loneliness for it knew that it was the rightful King of all under the moon. Ahead of her was an archway that led into a long hall.

She cocked her head slightly, wondering what could be down here that would warrant such décor. Her first thought was of the holding areas where the gladiators or wild beasts would be kept before being allowed to enter the arena to fight for survival. However, the place didn't feel like it was meant for such a purpose.

_There is one way to determine the purpose of such a place,_ she thought and walked through the archway and entered the long hall.

Nemu looked around, taking in her surroundings. Fires lit in stone basins carved into the central pillars bathed the central aisle in light while either side was lit only by the ethereal glow coming from the moss clinging to the surrounding stone and veins of luminescent crystal coursing through the stone floors, walls, and ceiling. At the far end of the chamber was a statue of a panther made of blue quartz that looked to be standing guard. Tongues of flame issued from the fire pits on either side of the statue, giving it the illusion of being alive to those who looked at it long enough.

Nemu saw that after every other pair of columns there was a stone slab, empty and bathed with a dim glow coming from the markings carved into the surface. She made her way to the nearest stone slab and examined the markings. Her internal translation program read the runes and she nodded slightly as the translation ran across the screen of her mind.

"Based on the data collected, I can conclude that this chamber is some kind of birthing area," Nemu whispered. "The runes appear to be prayers to 'the Great Panther' for protection on the mother and for the blessing of strong offspring. It would appear that these Arrancars possess a highly developed culture, but are nowhere near the same level as Octavia in regards to technological advancement."

A moaning sound brought Nemu out of her ponderings. She whirled around, drawing her Zanpakuto and crouching into a defensive posture. She opened her modified Pesquisa.

_Careless,_ Nemu thought as she looked for a flare of Reiatsu. _I should have done a thorough sweep to begin with._

_Useless…worthless…obsolete…_

She shook her head. Now was not the time to think about Master Mayuri's ridicules. Her eyes narrowed as she sensed the other presence in the chamber. Nemu could feel the Reiatsu coming from further ahead, but it was faint and…

_There's more than one,_ she thought. Curiosity grew in her and she cocked her head slightly. _There are countless different signatures coming from one larger signature. How is that possible?_

Nemu made her way forward, staying silent and as deep in the shadows as she could.

The moaning became louder the closer she got to the end of the hall. Nemu looked to her right, the direction from where she judged the sound was coming from. She could make out a figure lying on top of the stone table in front of her. She made her way to the figure and stopped when she reached the table.

Nemu looked down at the female.

The Arrancar was covered by a hide blanket decorated with blue runes that Nemu translated to be more prayers. The woman wore a stone medallion with the facial profile of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez engraved on its surface. Her two-toned hair, left side white and right side black, was divided by the mask fragment shaped like the crest of a bird that ran along the center of the top of her head and shone with sweat. Nemu looked to the foot of the stone table and saw a rapier laid out at the base of the female's feet. The emerald embedded in the gold guard seemed to glare at Nemu as if defying her to try to harm the female.

Nemu opened her Pesquisa to register the Reiatsu she felt pulsating from the rapier and found that it matched the female's Spirit Energy. Nemu concluded that the rapier housed the woman's Resurrección and it seemed as though the Resurrección had its own consciousness while its Arrancar was in her current state.

Nemu then noticed the large bulge and she reached for the blanket. She removed it and saw that the female was naked underneath. The woman's breasts and thighs were swollen. Nemu looked at the large stomach in fascination as she watched things squirm beneath the flesh, causing the stomach to ripple like the waves of an ocean.

Nemu felt something deep inside her mind chitter, but not in hunger. It felt more like longing. But longing for what? Nemu didn't know for she didn't understand the primordial feelings that run deep like the rivers and oceans of molten stone far beneath the world's scarred surface.

She opened her modified Pesquisa to get a more accurate reading on the Reiatsu signatures originating within the swollen stomach. What she found was not what she had expected. Nemu had expected for the woman to be filled with over-grown parasites. In some ways, the creatures within the woman were parasites, but parasites of a different sort.

"Fascinating," Nemu whispered. She reached a hand out to touch the rippling stomach. However, before she could the mass seemed to either panic or go into a wild frenzy. The woman moaned and her Reiatsu flared slightly before dying down again.

Nemu was surprised that even though the woman's girth had increased slightly, she could feel that the number of offspring inside had decreased by roughly three percent. Her mind computed any number of causes for this phenomenon. However, she could only think of one conclusion.

"Arrancar offspring, while in the fetal stages, feed off of each other, as well as the mother's Reiatsu, to grow. It would appear that Hollow evolution still runs its course in the Arrancar, even if it may be restricted to the womb."

Nemu decided that she had gathered enough intelligence and her programming told her that it was time to leave. However, as she watched the swelling stomach bulge and ripple with the living creatures growing within, a part of her didn't want to leave. She knelt beside the stone slab and raised a hand to touch the restless brood.

She hesitated slightly before allowing a small amount of her own Reiatsu to leak through her fingertips. She touched the pregnant stomach and the brood took notice of her. She watched in fascination and something other than cool intellect as the worms swarmed towards the area where her fingers touched the skin. She could feel the heads nudging at her fingertips as if they were trying to feed on the Reiatsu or trying to be touched and be recognized.

Nemu could feel that inner creature trapped beneath the surface of her programming stir with longing.

_Oh, to love and be loved in return,_ a voice from those darkest depths moaned.

Nemu allowed the palm of her hand to completely rest on the woman's stomach. She was not aware as she released more of her Reiatsu. She was only aware of the brood stirring beneath the surface. They got as close to the surface as they could and caressed her palm with their smooth bodies.

"What do you think I am?" Nemu whispered as the brood continued their caresses. "Do you even know?"

Nemu closed her eyes. She felt lost. It was the same sensation she felt shortly before they had departed for Hueco Mundo. It was the sensation that took her to one of the places she was forbidden to go: Room 116. For a moment she thought that she could feel cold steel and not stone beneath her feet.

"Room One Sixteen," she whispered as the memory came upon her.

_**Squad 12 Barracks, Day before Operation Orpheus's Departure**_

_Nemu's bare feet slapped against the cold metallic floor as she made her way to the door near the end of the hall. She stopped in front of the steel door with 116 engraved on its cold surface. For any other who walked down this desolate hall it would look like any other of the many laboratory doors. However, for Nemu Kurotsuchi, this room was special._

_If Mayuri's blood cells were her father then this room was her mother._

_She looked at the security pad and placed her palm on its smooth surface. The light blue scanning light ran down the length of her hand. Nemu waited and then turned the handle when the red light by the door became green._

_The interior of Room 116 was dark and cold. The room smelled of disinfectant and the other chemicals used to make the steel and concrete meet her creator's standards for a workspace._

_Much of the room was cramped with machines and tables and cabinets for materials and safes for the files he would not leave in the open, even in the heart of his domain. The center of the room, however, was cleared around the cylinder of transparent material. Masses of cables were hooked into the cylinder at the base and the top. It was an altar amidst the clutter of science, an analogy made all the poignant by what was exhibited to the eyes of those with the proper clearance._

_Nemu looked at the woman floating in the light purple liquid. The woman's hair flowed around her, mingling with the dark wires attached to her skull. There were more wires, piercing her in places natural and unnatural, each bringing life-sustaining nutrients and various biological chemicals into the still-developing being. However, the expression on her face was peaceful and innocent. It was the look of one who did not know the joys and sufferings of the world._

_Nemu leaned closer to the tank, looking at her own face that was worn by another. It was a living mirror._

_"Nemu 2.0," she whispered. Whether she said it to herself or in greeting, no one could say._

_This was her replacement. This was the upgraded model that made her obsolete. Even as she stood here, facing her doom, the enhanced mod soul similar to her own was being written. It was going from a tabula rasa to an exact copy of her mind and memories. If we are our memories, then this being would become Nemu._

_"But I'm Nemu," she whispered laying a hand on the glass. It was warm, but it would become cold. Yes, when the liquid was drained Nemu 2.0 would be as cold and confused as Nemu 1.0 had been on the day of her birth._

_Before she had been inserted into her Gigai, the copy of Nemu's mind had been updated. She was now operating under the knowledge that Master Mayuri had made clear: she was expendable._

_Mayuri had always said that she was expendable. She hadn't questioned even though she never believed that Master Mayuri would replace her. After all, she could serve him in anything and be trusted with any of his dark secrets as she had done so many times before, including the_ other_ Gobi Treaty._

_No matter how badly she was hurt either by his hands or by the hands of others, Master Mayuri had always fixed her. Even though he was without compassion or graciousness, he still showered that he valued her through his actions._

_Nemu didn't know if that could be called "being loved", but she had felt useful…and valued._

_Uryu Ishida had asked her once, and only once, why she did not leave her creator's cruelty._

"Because it's my place," _she had replied. The words seemed to sadden him and had made her feel oddly guilty. He had never brought up the subject again. Apparently her answer had been enough for the last Quincy._

_As a member of the Gotei 13, Nemu had a place in the system. She was a mere cog in the Soul Society's great engine and her absence would require being filled. A quiet, but still present, Nemu-shaped hole in the Women's Association immediately came to mind._

_She had wanted to say goodbye to Miss Yachiru, but as far as she knew Yachiru had never came to visit._

Maybe she was too busy to visit, _Nemu thought._ She is a Lieutenant.

_However that did not stop her from feeling somewhat…_

_There was no word in her programming to describe how she felt and Nemu wondered about that. It was as though the Arrancar Gigai was causing her to feel emotions that she had been programmed to never feel, or at least to never show or comprehend. She knew that she should inform Master Mayuri, but he had programmed her never to bother him with something as trivial as emotions._

_So, Nemu had kept silent._

_What was the point in worrying? She had mattered very little to begin with and now…_

I don't matter at all.

_"I do not know why I came," she whispered. "I do not know why I want to hate you. Such things are illogical," she said. Her mask fragment clinked against the glass surface as she bowed her head against the cylinder. _

_"What does it matter? I am finished. I am obsolete._

_"If I die on this mission then Master Mayuri would just wake you to take my place. He wouldn't weep for me for he would have an upgraded Nemu to serve him. If I survive…that would be worse. As soon as I have made my reports and the matter was concluded…"_

_She knew what would happen, but was afraid to say it. She knew that she would be disassembled and the new Nemu would step into her place. Would anyone even realize that she had died? Would they see an imposter or just Nemu?_

_She no longer had any value. She was little more than a surgical glove, to be removed and thrown away once her function was done. She would be discarded as a mere matter of course and without thought._

_She had given Master Mayuri everything, keeping nothing to herself. She had never rebelled against him and she had never sought escape. Everything he had ever asked of her she had tried to achieve. He was the Creator and she was the creation. It was only logical for the creation to obey the Creator no matter what. _

Obedience is a virtue.

_"In the end, we're not real people," she whispered to Nemu 2.0. "We're just equipment. Like me, you would never have truly been born. Like me, you would already be dead even as you sucked in your first breath. I wonder. Was it truly murder when the first generational mod souls were dissolved? Or was it mere waste disposal?_

_"Will it be murder when Master Mayuri disposes of me? Or will that too be mere waste disposal?"_

_She looked at her developing doppelgänger. Something rose within her and Nemu banged a fist against the glass. For a moment she hoped that the glass would shatter, bringing about an end to the creature who would eventually replace her._

This is your fault, _she thought at the woman in the tank._ You only exist to take everything away from me, including my existence. I want to exist…no, not merely to exist. I want to live.

_"I am me. You are not me," she whispered as she stepped back. Her face's tired reflection, complete with mask fragment, shimmered over her sister's face. Nemu looked away._

_"I hate you and yet I don't hate you. You are the only one who may ever truly understand me…truly know me." She reached a trembling hand out to the glass._

_"I am sorry," she whispered as she stroked the glass as if it was the cheek of her twin. "I suppose that this is what Uryu referred to as 'being afraid.' If that's so then I am afraid. I'm afraid that we'll never really get a chance to speak to each other. I'm afraid that I won't even be allowed in here to witness your birth."_

_Her twin's face still maintained that look of serenity. _

_"Why did I come here in the first place? It is…illogical._

_"I suppose I came here to say 'Goodbye' to someone," she said. "Miss Yachiru didn't come and visit me, but she is an Officer and so is most likely busy. Since I'm not really close to anyone else, I suppose that you're the only one I can say it to."_

_Nemu sighed as she stepped away from the tank. _

_"It's not fair," she whispered. "Then again, fairness is illogical."_

_She looked at her clone and longed to reach into the tank and grab her sister's hand. She knew that would be going against orders, but a part of her longed to reach out and give a small part of herself to her growing sister. That way, if something were to happen, then she would be remembered, even if only in dreams._

_Instead, she turned to leave the cold room that had been her mother. She thought that if she was capable of crying then she would shed a tear. But she was programmed to never cry._

If I am truly to be remembered then let it be in your dreams, dear Sister, _Nemu thought as the door to Room 116 closed behind her._

_**Pantera**_

Nemu let the memory slip back into its proper place, a small frown on her face. Why had she allowed that memory to surface? What had possessed her to even go to that room that day? Now, what was this sense of longing flowing through her like a stream seeking the sea? She had no data that seemed to provide an answer.

That meant that it was an area of knowledge that Master Mayuri had no use for and had therefore denied her.

She moved her hand across the stomach, a gentle glide so as not to unduly disturb the Arrancar. The ripples of swarming spawn followed sliding against her palm. With an odd moment of hesitation Nemu pulled her hand back.

Resolving to gather more data, Nemu stepped to take a closer look at the Arrancar's face.

The face looked like any ordinary human's save for the dark grey markings that ran from the corner of her eyes up to her hairline. The woman's face shone with sweat and she mumbled under her breath as though she was delirious. Nemu wasn't surprised, but she couldn't tell for certain whether the delirium was caused by some kind of narcotic to help the woman remain clam or if it was from the pregnancy itself.

Nemu reached down and using her thumb and forefinger opened one eye. The woman's lavender eye was glazed and the pupil didn't dilate the way it should have with the slight increase amount of light allowed to enter the eye.

The woman's mouth opened letting out a low moan as the head tilted away from Nemu. She let the eye close and reached out to tilt the head to its original position. Her hands were cool against the heated cheeks, slick with sweat.

Despite Nemu's effort the head turned towards her instead. Nemu was certain that even if the Arrancar saw her the Arrancar's senses were so dulled that she would be unable to comprehend any sensation. Nemu didn't know why she did it, but she caressed one side of the woman's face, brushing a strand of hair back. The Arrancar seemed to smile, but it was difficult to say whether the Arrancar recognized the touch or if the brood was settling down again. The woman relaxed and permitted Nemu to lower her head back to its original position.

Nemu knew that she should leave, but she didn't want to. She wanted to spend more time in the presence of something so strange and wonderful to her. She covered the woman with the hide and continued to stroke the woman's face with her cool hands as though she was a mother tucking her daughter into bed. She began to hum a soothing melody she had heard in a pre-Downfall movie from Mexico about a girl and a faun.

In less than a minute the Arrancar seemed to have fallen into true sleep. Nemu pulled her hands back, wet with the woman's sweat. She found herself oddly pleased at having apparently provided some comfort for the Arrancar female.

The sense of being pleased was one enigma too many for Nemu. She decided that she no longer wanted to be there. She put her hand to the swollen abdomen a final time. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to feel the brood swarming under the surface one last time. She opened her eyes and withdrew her hand as she took her leave.

The only sounds in the hall were the soft falls of her footsteps and the deep breathing of the Panteran.

When Nemu emerged from the depths below the arena she looked up at the crescent moon. She paused and allowed its silvery light to shine upon her. She closed her eyes as though trying to allow the moonlight to sink into her and fill her. She could hear a difference in the sounds coming in the direction of the gathered Panterans as they began celebrating the Mating Ceremony. There was something primordial about the beating drums, like the beating of a heart, that caused whatever lurked in the depths of her psyche to stir in anticipation.

There was also a sense of longing stirring within her. She could still feel the sensation of the life growing inside the Panteran woman. She could still feel the tingling sensation as it had run up from the tips of her fingers to her curious mind. The sensation brought with it a longing to experience what it must feel like to have life growing inside you.

She put a hand on top of her flat stomach trying to imagine what it would be like to be a biological incubator, using her own biological mechanisms instead of a lab's tank and artificial proteins to grow a new life.

"Why should I feel this way?" she asked herself. "Such a thing is illogical."

Turning away from the distantly troubling thoughts, Nemu's mind defaulted to the mission priorities. She went into Sonído and came out on top of one of the flat rooftops of the buildings. She scanned the street below, searching for any sign of Ikkaku or the Commander. However, she couldn't see them. She was still alone with her thoughts.

She was about to go into another Sonído, but stood still instead. She looked out towards the walls of Pantera and out onto the desert beyond. There was something peaceful about the endless stretch of white clashing against the sea of black above. It was the type of peace that she had never found in the Soul Society.

Nemu closed her eyes and placed both hands on her stomach. She breathed in the night air, imagining the inhalation being the movement of thousands of potential offspring pushing against the wall of a womb, struggling to be free of their prison.

_The womb,_ she thought. _I had a womb once._

She could remember that day, so long ago, when she was given a womb only to have it taken away.

_**Department of Research and Development, 2 Weeks after Nemu's "Birth"**_

_She lay on the cold table, aware of the surgeons surrounding her. Her eyes looked to where her father stood over the small table of surgical instruments, examining each one to make sure they measured up to his standards._

_She found it fascinating to watch him work. For all of the faults that others, including his own peers, leveled against him, Mayuri Kurotsuchi was forgiven them for his great scientific mind and skills._

_Mayuri made sure that he shined in all levels of science in a way that his predecessor had never been able to, or so Nemu had been told. When it came to devising theory, Mayuri's brilliant mind had conjured innovations never before conceived. He was able to devise solutions to problems that had before, even under Kisuke Urahara's leadership, had been believed to be unsolvable._

_Mayuri's greatness went on down to the actual experiments, for he was not one to delegate. He insisted on taking the lead in every major experiment that went on in his division for two main reasons. The first was that he assumed that everyone under him were inferior unless given absolute proof that they could at least be his intellectual equal. As a result, he never trusted any of his many subordinates to take the lead on important experimentations. Second, he simply loved his work._

_Nemu knew that some scientists had a low opinion of engineers, seeing them as merely the last links in a process that they themselves stood at the forefront of. However, her Creator prided himself on seeing a project from the drawing board to the final model, making sure that each step of production went smoothly._

_She believed that he would do nothing to severely damage her. With this in mind, Nemu watched him go to work by looking at the large mirror that hung over the surgical table. This was an opportunity for her to learn as well as give her Creator a chance to experiment on his latest innovations. The young Lieutenant watched with mild interest as he implanted the strange looking organs into her._

_Contrary to the rumors that had been going around, she could feel pain. However, she could not switch it off, and there were no anesthetics in her body at the moment. So, she had no alternative but to do as Master Mayuri instructed: she learned to cope._

_"Finished," Mayuri said after he attached everything to where it needed to go and sewn her back up. "Now, let's see if this works."_

_The next few weeks had been strange for her. She was excused from performing her duties as a Lieutenant, but she was still permitted to exercise in the training area. She was given different types of liquids to drink. She didn't know what they were for, but she knew that they were different from the specialized nutritional injections she was given that would be absorbed by her body to ensure it maintained peak physical conditioning._

_However, she would drink the fluids she was given, as she was instructed to do, and after about a day she felt something tighten in her. She did not recognize the sensation of something inside her letting go and sending warm liquid flowing out of the slit located between her legs. It wasn't until one of her attendants informed her of the bodily function known as "urination" that Nemu understood what it was._

_Even though it was strange to her at first, Nemu got used to it. She was fascinated to learn about the proper function and usage of a restroom and so she would drink more of the fluids in order to use it more often._

_It wasn't until the third week that she experienced a different kind of urination. At first she was confused. She had never seen urine look as red and thick as it had that day and there had been a more unpleasant cramping sensation prior to its release. She had cocked her head as she examined her clothing. When Mayuri saw the disposal of the unused tissue and blood in her clothes he smiled._

_"I would say that the experiment was a success," Mayuri said. "I want you back at the lab tomorrow for the removal."_

_She was confused. She didn't understand why something so intriguing would have to be removed so soon. She wanted to know more about this strange device that she had been given and what else it could do._

_"Uh…Master Mayuri," she said, hesitating._

_"What is it?" Mayuri asked, somewhat exasperated._

_"Well…it's just that…do we have to remove it so soon?"_

_"What are you talking about, you worthless girl? I got all that I needed, why should I need to study it further?"_

_"It's just that…what else does it do?"_

_Mayuri looked at her, and for the first time she found herself afraid of him. However, she knew that he wouldn't hurt her. She was his creation and a Creator would never do anything to harm his creation. Mayuri sighed and waved a hand in dismissal._

_"It's nothing that can't be done with the proper equipment," he said. "The only other thing it does is hold a fetus as it develops."_

_"What's a fetus?" Nemu asked._

_"A fetus is merely a group of dividing cells that clump together into strands of protein that eventually becomes a living entity," Mayuri said. "It's nothing special. In fact, I would even say that a fetus is merely another kind of parasite for it feeds off of the body, weakening the adult so that it can grow."_

_Nemu was confused by what Mayuri said. How could life grow inside another life? The concept was both foreign and intriguing to her. She placed a hand in the area between her stomach and her groin, wondering what the sensation would feel like._

_"Perhaps, you would like to grow a fetus inside me to see if it works," Nemu said._

_"Why should I? You went through your Menstruation Cycle. As far as I'm concerned, there's no need to go any further. Now, let's get that thing out of you so that we can install more useful equipment."_

_"Then, what was this device for?" Nemu asked._

_"First, it's called a uterus. Second, I only did it to see if I could replicate a female reproductive organ complete with its functions in an artificial being like you. I see that I can and so there's no need for you to keep it any longer. Do you understand me you simple-minded girl?"_

_"I don't quite understand. Why take something away from me when it works?" Nemu insisted her composure slipping. Mayuri shook his head._

_"You really are a simpleton. I can take it away from you because there's no need for you to possess a female reproductive organ. However, I will allow you to keep the bladder as it may be necessary for you to drink regular fluids that your body can't absorb. Now, stop asking silly questions and do as you're told."_

_She never asked about the experiment nor did she question any of Master Mayuri's multiple experiments on her after that. She had come to accept it as inevitable and, after Mayuri Kurotsuchi dealt with Szayel Aporro Granz in the Winter War, she saw the foresight he had._

_The thing that Master Mayuri had replaced in exchange for the artificial uterus was a series of packets that would contain many of his more toxic drugs. When Szayel Aporro Granz performed his Gabriel technique he had brought his cells back together where the womb should have been. As a result, he had absorbed the packets of toxins containing that week's experimental drug: one that would slow time for the infected to where it would render them paralyzed._

_In the end, Master Mayuri's removal of the uterus helped to bring about Szayel Aporro Granz's downfall._

_There was something rather poetic about Mayuri's actions. He had replaced creation with ruin in her._

_**Pantera**_

"Judea!"

The name snapped her away from the memories. Others might have sighed in relief at being pulled away from such recollections, but Nemu knew better than to express herself. More importantly, she could feel the return of her hunger.

As she watched the Commander and the Third Seat approach, Nemu wondered again as to why she did not report her hunger. It was not one of the secrets that she was ordered to defend. It was not like why she had been luring in the former Octavian stronghold in Las Noches. Nor was it like how Master Mayuri got the Hollows that were used to train both expeditions. Then there was what actually happened in Octavia and not what the Commander thought happened. It was her personal secret and she wanted to keep it that way. So why couldn't she tell the Commander about her cravings?

_Am I afraid?_

The question caused her to frown slightly.

_**Tatsuki**_

Tatsuki could tell that something was wrong. Nemu hadn't shown the slightest bit of interest in either Ikkaku's or her own injuries. Nor did it seem that she took the time to even analyze them. Instead, Nemu simply stared off into the night sky with a little frown on her face.

"I think she's lost it," Ikkaku said.

"Please, when has she ever been sane?" Tatsuki retorted.

_The same could be asked about you, you little S-n-M pervert,_ her Inner Dragon hissed before laughing.

"Oh shut up, Hotatsuki," Tatsuki whispered in return.

"Huh, did you say something?" Ikkaku asked.

"Never mind," Tatsuki said. She returned her attention to Nemu. "Hey, quit spacing out and get down here!"

Nemu looked at her, face as expressionless as ever. She simply jumped from the rooftop. She went into a backflip and landed on her feet, facing them.

"I apologize, Commander," Nemu said. "I was admiring the night sky."

"Is that so?" Tatsuki asked. She was tempted to point out that it was always night here.

"Yes, now, how may I be of assistance?"

"First, you can tell me what you've been up to," Tatsuki said.

"I was merely exploring. Unfortunately, I did not find anything of interest except that I am certain that this place would normally be well-defended, as concluded by the thickness of the walls," Nemu reported.

"Sheesh, even I could tell you that," Ikkaku said.

"Right," Tatsuki said, rubbing the corner of her eyes with her thumb and forefinger. "Have you found where Yamada is? We need to pick him up before we leave."

"Oh, are we leaving so soon?" Nemu asked.

"Yes," Tatsuki replied. "I got the information we need. I'll tell you about it while we walk."

"Very well, Commander," Nemu said. "Now, if you'll please follow me. It won't take us long to get young Yamada."

_**Ikkaku Madarame**_

Ikkaku walked through the filthy streets of the Thrall District with very little interest. He could tell that the Commander was bothered by the stench rising from the muck in the streets since she continued to cover her mouth and nose with one sleeve. Nemu, however, was leading them through the filth with her usual rock-steady attitude.

However, for Ikkaku Madarame, this place was no big deal. Even though his original district in the Rukongai hadn't been as bad as this place, he was too strong and too fidgety to stay in one place very long. As a result he had passed through places that were worse than this in his wanderings as a warrior with only Yumichika keeping him company. Just thinking of those days, before Kenpachi Zaraki came along and proved to be someone worth following, brought a sense of sorrow to Ikkaku.

_If only Yumichika was here,_ Ikkaku thought as he looked to one side. _He would not doubt be complaining about the stench and how the mud would stain his newly cleaned clothes._

Ikkaku looked over to where Tatsuki was walking and saw that she was looking at a group of children who were poking sticks at a white and grey scorpion the size of a good-sized water rat and then to a group of adults lying in front of a run-down shack smoking from long clay pipes. Ikkaku had seen enough places to recognize the pipes as the kind used to smoke opium.

Ikkaku imagined that Tatsuki was feeling somewhat sorry for these Thralls, but he didn't. However, he wouldn't say so in order to avoid a pointless argument. For Ikkaku there was being pushed down and then there was just lying down in the filth. These Thralls were merely like those weaklings in the poorer districts of the Rukongai who wouldn't meet his eyes back then. Even though they were miserable and desperate, those pluses did nothing about it. Squad 11 had more than its fair share of people from the worst parts of the Rukongai. However, unlike those pathetic pluses, they had gotten from those districts to the Seireitei on their own strength.

Ikkaku knew that he would never be like Ichigo when it came to compassion. The closest thing he had to compassion for the weak was giving them a chance to grow stronger. And it wasn't just strengthening their Reiatsu.

"Judea, are you sure you know where you're going?" Tatsuki demanded. Nemu turned her head to glance back at them. For a brief moment, Ikkaku thought he caught something in that glance that was foreign to Nemu.

_What the Hell?_

Ikkaku focused on the Lieutenant's face. However, there was only the usual blank expression. But he knew that there was something there before. However, he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"No, Eurydice, my navigation is not based on any particular destination. I foresaw that Yamada was the most at risk if separated and so I took the liberty of spraying his exposed skin with a pheromone I can uniquely track while he was asleep. I am ninety-seven percent certain we are in close proximity of Yamada's current location," Nemu replied formally. Nemu faced forward again and picked her pace back up. Ikkaku glared at the back of her head and then it came to him.

_That's it,_ he thought. _The second she turned to look at us she looked annoyed. On anyone else it would be nothing, but on doll-girl…_

_But are you sure you saw it?_ Ikkaku bit his lip at the question that the Voice of Reason asked. He hadn't been looking at her directly, and when he had she was her normal self. Plus, it went against everything he had learned from working with her for centuries.

_Maybe I didn't see it. Maybe I was imagining things, but still…_

But his gut was troubled, and he was a man who paid attention to his gut-instincts.

"Up there," Nemu said before vaulting up a wall. She landed on a ledge and went through a cloth-covered hole. Tatsuki followed, burring into Sonído. Ikkaku sighed before just jumping up to ledge.

Landing on the ledge Ikkaku pulled the stirring curtain aside and saw…

_What…the…fuck?_

Ikkaku's mind stalled when he saw Hanataro sitting on a cot with a woman.

"Yamada," Tatsuki snapped as she crossed the room with Nemu shadowing her.

Hanataro gave a frightened squawk sending a few sheets of paper he was holding flying as he jumped to his feet. Ikkaku frowned at the girl who was now hiding behind him.

_No…there's no way…_

"Co— Judea! I…well…you see…" Hanataro stuttered like a school boy caught in the act of doing something naughty. Tatsuki arched an eyebrow and looked to Hanataro's shoulder where the blonde was peeking. She glanced at one of the sheets of paper floating through the air and snatched it. She looked at it, maintaining an excellent poker face.

"Medical treatment charts," she deadpanned and looked at Hanataro. "What is this about?"

"Well…you see…Thrall can't read. And…well…I…I could only show her so much so I thought to give her some basic material…for…for study," Hanataro stuttered. His face was becoming redder by the moment.

"Yamada, you spend a few hours here, and you start teaching medicine?" Tatsuki asked. Ikkaku thought that she seemed a bit amused and yet slightly annoyed at the prospect.

"Well, they need medicine," Hanataro said.

"Fine, whatever," Tatsuki sighed as she allowed the sheet of paper to drop from her hand. "Just pack your things, Yamada. We're moving out. I don't want to hang around Pantera any longer than we have to."

"Yes Ma'am!" Hanataro said a bit too loudly. The girl behind him stirred and he stepped far enough from her for Ikkaku to really get a good look at her. His eyes widened in surprise. She was one of the most severely scarred people he had ever seen. Many in Squad 11 had a lot fewer scars than this woman.

_How could she survive all that?_ Ikkaku couldn't help but feel admiration for her willingness to endure so much suffering.

"You are leaving?" the woman asked bowing her head.

"Uh yes, Thrall. But you have everything you need to start being a healer now," he assured her. He reached into one of his pouch belts hidden under his uniform and took out a couple of folded envelopes. "Here," he said and took hold of her hand. He put the envelopes into the hand and closed it with his own. "It's just some powdered antibiotic that you can use to sprinkle on wounds to help keep infection from setting in. It's not much, but…well…"

The woman stepped closer into his personal space and looked him in the eyes. To Ikkaku's surprise, she smiled at him.

"Thrall thanks you, Lord Yamada," she said softly. "Is there any way that I can repay you?"

"Well…uh…"

Ikkaku's shock faded and he grinned as he thought of a way to make sure that Hanataro became a real man.

"Yeah, _Lord Yamada_, would like a kiss," Ikkaku said grinning.

Ikkaku hoped that the suggestion would embarrass Hanataro. After all, Ikkaku could not let all of this "Lord Yamada" nonsense go to the young healer's head. He was not disappointed.

"I…I…I…well…uh…" Hanataro stuttered.

"If Lord Yamada wishes a kiss then Thrall must obey," the woman said. She hesitated before approaching Hanataro. Ikkaku noticed that she was doing her best to keep her face hidden from them and he couldn't say that he blamed her. She pressed her lips to Hanataro's. Hanataro stiffened and began to flop around like a fish while his eyes looked ready to pop out of his sockets.

Ikkaku did his best to keep from laughing at the mere sight of Hanataro's discomfort. However, he could not suppress his desire to make a jest at the situation.

"YEAH! Way to go Lord Yamada!" Ikkaku applauded. "Pretty soon we'll make a real man out of ya!"

Tatsuki glared at Ikkaku and shook her head.

"Commander, it would appear as though Yamada is going to faint. Shall I administer first aid?" Nemu inquired in her usual monotone.

"He'll be fine," Tatsuki said, "just as soon as he gets over the shock." _This is probably his first real kiss._ Tatsuki looked at the young woman who looked frightened. She looked to Tatsuki and gasped.

"Please, forgive me," the woman said as she tried to cover her scarred face. "I did not mean to…I was just…he helped me and…and I was ordered…"

"It's alright," Tatsuki said. "There's no need to be afraid."

Thrall didn't look so certain. Instead she backed away from Tatsuki and got on her knees. She placed her forehead to the floor.

"Please…please…don't hurt Thrall. Thrall didn't mean any disrespect."

Tatsuki shook her head.

"Never mind," Tatsuki said. "Yamada, hurry up. We're leaving."

Hanataro nodded as he picked up his Zanpakuto from where it leaned against the wall. He walked towards Tatsuki and then stopped. He looked at Thrall who was still prostrated on the floor.

"Come on, Shrimp," Ikkaku said. "Just leave her."

Hanataro shook his head and walked towards Thrall. He knelt in front of her and put a hand on her shoulder. Thrall stiffened, but she raised her head to look at him.

"Lord Yamada," she whispered before Hanataro wrapped his arms around her.

"WHAT THE…?" Ikkaku shouted.

Hanataro ignored him. Instead he leaned close to Thrall and whispered in her ear. Tatsuki couldn't hear what he said, but she felt that whatever it was should only remain between the two outcasts.

_He understands her even if she doesn't quite understand him,_ Tatsuki thought.

Tatsuki watched as Thrall nodded and smiled a little. She thought she could see tears in the Arrancar's eyes. Hanataro leaned in close and placed a kiss on her forehead where the Fe rune had been burned in her skin, the first scar of many. Tatsuki knew that he was blessing her in some way that she could not understand.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes," Hanataro said as he got to his feet. He helped Thrall to her feet. As they left, she remained where she stood, head bowed and smiling.

_**Outside Pantera**_

"So what did you say?" Ikkaku asked for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"I…don't want to say," Hanataro said.

"Oh come on, _Lord Yamada_, tell us. You obviously said something to get her water works going, and I want to know what it was. Was it your undying love for her unparalleled beauty?"

"That's enough, Ikkaku," Tatsuki said. "If Hanataro doesn't want to tell us then he doesn't have to."

"Come on, Lieutenant," Ikkaku said. "Our young pup here is keeping secrets and I want to know what they are."

"Honestly, you're as bad as Rangiku," Tatsuki said as she rolled her eyes.

"No I'm not," Ikkaku protested. "I'm nowhere near as bad as that fat cow."

As Tatsuki started to list the reasons why Ikkaku was as bad as Rangiku, Hanataro found himself thinking back. It was strange how his experience in the Thrall District had stirred up old memories that he thought were long hidden. Yet, he felt as though coming to Hueco Mundo a second time was a way for him to reconcile the boy he had been with the man he was becoming.

As he reflected on it, another memory came forth. It was the memory of the moment that had become the turning point for his entire life. It was the moment that, in some way, the Nameless Boy had died and had been reborn.

He lifted his face to the night sky and looked at the crescent moon. He closed his eyes and, for the briefest moment, thought that he could feel the spring rain of that day.

_**Drowned Rat**_

_The spring rain fell on his shivering form as he lay in a pile of shit and mud and trash heaped in one of the many dark alleyways. He was weak and even the trembling had passed. He felt as though his whole body was on fire and yet he was freezing._

Finally,_ he thought. The winter had finally come to claim him for its own even though any number of things that had cut or been eaten by him could have done it. He'd been denied the mercy of just drifting off. Now Death had come to free him from the nightmare of life. It had been reaching out for him even before the rains came. It had been creeping slowly but steadily towards him and the rains had given it vigor._

_He had fallen here, too tired and weak to move. When had that been? Was it this morning or was it yesterday? He couldn't tell. And he didn't care. He was going to die and his death bed was going to be made of trash and mud and shit. Someone would strip his corpse and someone else would toss it into the river with the rest of the trash. He had seen it. He had been part of it._

_He was relieved. It wasn't that he didn't fear Death. He did, especially now. But life…was it truly something he regretted losing? No. He took some small pride in having never been caught, but in the end he was just a nameless shit rat. No one but him would know he had ever lived. And even he couldn't bring himself to care._

Even so…, _he thought sadly. _Even so…

_He could hear someone coming close to him. He could barely hear the sound of sandaled feet splashing in the puddles filled with filthy water and the rain beating off of the wide straw hats people wore to keep dry. That meant that they were someone of some relevance. He was strong enough to turn his head a little and open his eyes. Fear took hold of him when he saw the woman standing in the mouth of the alley._

_He recognized the black uniform but not the white _haori_ she wore. Her face was lost in his fading vision but he would recognize the uniform anywhere._

Gobbler,_ he thought weakly as he remembered the Gobbler who had nearly taken him. That Gobbler had worn the same kind of uniform. It only made sense that everyone who wore the Black was a Gobbler._

_He realized with growing panic that she was coming closer to him._

No…no…NO! I'M DYING! DON'T!_ He tried to scream but only a wheezing sound escaped his mouth._

_She reached out for him and he wanted to scurry away from that reaching hand. But his body was too weak to obey. He couldn't even raise a hand to protect himself. All that he could do was shut his eyes. He was a dying animal, unable to defend itself from the oncoming carrion eater._

_But her hand only started stroking his filthy hair. His eyes cracked open again in confusion. The gesture itself was no great comfort. He had seen the customers do it to those who had been taken before. He had always assumed it was as horrid as any other touch._

_But somehow it wasn't. She knelt down in the gutter and he saw the face under her hat._

Is…is this…Death?

_She was so beautiful. And she smiled at him with eyes filled with sorrow. He didn't know what he wanted to say but he tried to say something. But again he could only manage to give a shuddering rasping sound._

_"You poor, poor child," she whispered gently._

_That hand reached and brushed away locks of mud-stained hair that had been clinging to his face. The air felt warmer, but it wasn't like the heat simmering under his skin. It was like one of the good summer days when the warm sun and gentle winds caressed him as he hid on a rooftop._

_"Isane, would you please carry my things?" the woman asked._

_"As you wish, Captain," another woman's voice said._

_He couldn't see the other woman, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the face before him and the gentle arms wrapping themselves around him. She was getting her clean clothes dirty as she held him close to her._

No, please…please…let go. I…I just want to sleep. Please…just…just let me sleep. I'm so tired,_ he wanted to say. She picked him up with ease and it wasn't difficult to believe considering how small and thin he was. But the way she held him against her so that he received some of the hat's shelter while supporting him was hard for him to believe._

_The woman kissed him on the forehead, not worried about the mud caked on his face._

_"Come on, little one. I'm taking you home," she whispered to him._

Home?

_The word was foreign to him. He had heard it, but he never had the chance to ask what it meant. He had been alone so long, surviving and learning what he needed to survive on his own. That was the world. That was his life. That was what he was: a gutter rat._

_But there was something in the way she said that word. It reached him in a way that he didn't understand at the time. But it soothed him. It drew out the trace of something long forgotten, buried under the years of hardship and suffering, but never truly lost. And as he drifted off into the darkness he stopped trying to fight. Instead he put his head on her bosom._

_And the Nameless Boy knew deep in his heart if not his head that, for the first time in his life, he was safe._

_**Hueco Mundo**_

"HEY, ARE YOU COMING OR WHAT?" Ikkaku shouted.

Hanataro shook himself out of the memory. He saw that the other three were a few yards ahead of him and he ran towards them.

"I'm sorry, I…I was just thinking," Hanataro said.

"Oh, were you pining for your little girlfriend?" Ikkaku asked and laughed. "I swear, Hanataro, you're pathetic."

"I think that you're just jealous that Hanataro caught the attention of two women while you haven't caught any," Tatsuki said.

"HEY! I CAN GET ALL THE WOMEN I WANT!" Ikkaku shouted. "It's not my fault that all of the women here have bad taste."

Hanataro smiled and looked back towards Pantera.

_Goodbye, Thrall._

He turned to face ahead and followed the others out into the moonlit sands.

**End of Chapter 9**

**A.N.: This was originally to be part of Chapter 8, but we decided to make it into its own chapter so that way it can stand on its own. The chapter title refers to both the physical scars that Thrall has and the emotional scars that Nemu and Hanataro carry. Likewise, the chapter title also refers to the Fe rune (the Nordic rune used to represent cattle and property) that the Thralls in Pantera have branded on their foreheads since that mark represents both a physical scar and an emotional scar as well.**

**One of the things that we wanted to do with this chapter was show where Hanataro and Nemu came from since it does relate to their own character arcs that will unfold over the course of this novel and it does provide more depth to their own unique struggles. **

**The Panteran song is to the tune of "The Rains of Castamere" from **_**Game of Thrones**_** Season 2 and Nemu hums the theme from **_**El Labarinto del Fauno**_** (a.k.a. **_**Pan's Labyrinth**_**).**

**The main reason why it's taking us so long in between chapters is because Eduard and I both love epic-length storytelling and those tales are about the journey; not merely the destination. As a result, we want to do this novel right and not rush to conclude it. Rushing would cheapen the experience and the story itself. Eduard and I want to make this novel a great journey to revelation.**

**Then there's the matter of the slow build-up. The main reason for this is that while **_**Bleach**_** itself is an action manga that is quick to the punch, this story is more of an epic drama where the plot is the journey and the heart is the goal.**

**I like to equate this story with a tapestry. Each arc and story line is a different kind of thread, some may seem to be out-of-place or have no real purpose. However, when put through the loom of story-telling, the threads work in unison to reveal a much larger picture that is already in the writer's mind. **

**Next chapter we will reveal Rukia's fate, which we've hinted at in previous chapters starting with the Prologue. Other clues are found in the chapters "Unfamiliar Seas", "Metropolis", "The First Pieces", and "The Panther and the Dragon".**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	11. Chapter 10: Vision Quest

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 10: Vision Quest**

Sanction was known as the "Pearl of Hueco Mundo" and with good reason. Like a pearl, it was formed by hardship and perseverance. As the name suggested, Sanction was built first as a sanctuary for the Daughters of the Sand. But it was found to be inadequate by the later Queens. So the Triples had spent subsequent generations to make their city not only as strong but as beautiful as themselves. However, Isra was only familiar with Sanction's beauty and grandeur that was, or so she was told, only rivaled by the city of Luisenbarn.

Isra was glad that Persephone decided they should rest at her private villa outside of the city before returning. It helped her to recover from the ordeal she experienced from the Sons' ambush on the Pilgrim Road. Now she was able to look at the great walls ahead of her with the same wide-eyed wonder she had the first time she saw those majestic sandstone walls.

The walls themselves were decorated with dozens of friezes depicting the Triples' history from the War of Sorrows that ended in the Great Schism to Queen Hippolyta's victory over the Sons each time they attacked while the walls surrounding Sanction were being built. Each time she and Persephone came to Sanction, Isra would look up at these friezes in wonder, and this time was no exception. She found that she could imagine being involved in any of the five Battles at the Wall, slaying Sons with a single stroke or among the First Daughters as they left Las Noches after the Great Betrayal.

Her gaze would go up in wonder at the statues of fierce and beautiful female warriors lining the top of the wall, looking out over the sands in their never-ending vigil and holding their metal weapons in defiance of any who would dare to approach with the intent of harming any within. She would bring her focus back to the road ahead she was able see the two statues of chimeras with serpent tails, lion bodies, and deer heads with majestic antlers that flanked the Chimera Gate.

The first time Isra saw them, she trembled in fear of their fierce and defiant gazes and it took Persephone's reassuring hand to get her past those looming sentinels.

Whenever Isra found herself trembling in fear, she would get angry at herself and wonder how she had been able to survive before her sister took her under her wing against the dangers of the world. However, her time alone in the desert was the past and this was the present. The present was enough. She would leave her past as empty as the desert.

They walked past the guards who lined either side of the gateway. They wore the regular uniforms of Hollow hide with disks from Hollow masks sewn onto the fabric that was typical of the regular infantry. The females had their faces covered with grey veils while the males wore grey scarves wrapped about their heads. The guards bowed when they saw Persephone while their Commander, who was marked by her white veil and uniform, raised her rapier and kissed the blade in a salute. As they passed under the arc to the other side Isra looked around her in awe.

The city itself seemed to glow with the moonlight thanks to the silver etchings of vines and pouring water winding their way up the majestic minarets and obelisks. The aquamarine quartz fitted into the arches engraved at the top of the stone domes seemed to shimmer like water.

As the name suggested, Sanction was built first as a sanctuary for the Daughters of the Sand. But it was found to be inadequate by the later Queens. So the Triples had spent subsequent generations to make their city not only as strong but as beautiful as themselves.

The clean streets were lined with buildings of solid make and varying ornamentation. The simple flat-roofed huts of the workers that were closest to the outer wall were decorated with only crude carvings made by the residents with the occasional professional work. But the further Isra and Persephone went to the heart of Sanction, the more ornate and beautiful the buildings became. The walls of the majestic palaces and temples near the inner walls that surrounded the Shark's Court were each a work of art that showcased their stone shaper's talents and artistry.

In front of the Queen's Gate that led into the Shark's Court was the Great Temple. The Pilgrim's Road continued between the two flanking stone structures, both with three alcoves occupied by a statue of Sung-Sun and Mila Rose with the central one empty. The altar that occupied the court in front of the Queen's Gate was where many pilgrimages to the Shrine began and ended. Isra found it interesting that it ran through the Temple before entering the Shark's Court. When she had asked Persephone about that, she had merely shrugged.

The road to the Queen's Gate was lined with pillars engraved with prayers and the sacred text of _The Ways of the Goddess_ as well as various accounts that were always being renewed as more and more of the Faithful took the Vision Quest. The road led to the altar that stood in the courtyard just in front of the Shark's Court and behind the Temple. This was where the sacred feasts were held when the masses would bring their offerings to the Goddess and the Sacred Blood.

Looking over the Great Temple, from its dais above the Queen's Gate, was the statue of the Three-Faced Goddess. The face of the Queen faced forward, the Warrior faced left, and the Mother faced right. Each of the six hands, three on the left and three on the right, were holding something to reflect each of the attributes. For the Warrior, the left held a great blade while the right held the severed head of a Soul Reaper carved in stone. For the Mother, the left held a branch of the sacred crystalline trees whose roots were believed to hold all of Hueco Mundo together and the right held a pomegranate. For the Queen, the left held a scepter and the right held a laurel crown.

Isra could never look at the statue for long. It wasn't fear. She knew fear well enough to recognize it. There was just something in this work of stone that made her ill at ease. When she had left with Persephone on the Pilgrimage to The Shrine, she had been afraid of encountering something like the statue of the Three-Faced Goddess. Thankfully those fears had been unfounded. In fact, she felt that she liked the statue at the Shrine a lot better for it had a more genuine affection in it rather than religious fear.

Isra looked at the Queen's Gate with its carving depicting Harribel sitting enthroned flanked by her female children with Las Noches looming behind. Beyond it was the Shark's Court itself. She felt nervous about returning to the palaces that lay beyond the gates. It must have shown because Persephone squeezed her hand.

"It's alright, Isra," Persephone said. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

Persephone unleashed a pulse of Reiatsu. The guards on the other side of the gate recognized it for they opened the gates. Isra watched as the Court Guards clad in white uniforms with dark green sashes bound about their waists stood on either side and bowed.

Persephone led Isra through the gateway.

Isra looked at the friezes on the inner walls were decorated with scenes from the Van Harr history. The two panels on either side of the Queen's Gate showed the two states of glory of Tia Harribel, whose blood ran through the Van Harr line. The panel on the left showed her rising from the sands like Venus from the Sea, no longer a Hollow but something more: the Goddess. The panel on the right showed her at the Promised Day, ascending from the sands once more to lead the Arrancars to the Promised Land that was the World of the Living and slaying all of the demonic Soul Reapers to purify the land for her children.

Isra found herself, once again, becoming overwhelmed by the complex series of private palaces and estates connected to the Royal Palace by a series of walkways and gardens. The Shark's Court was a city unto itself, though far more elegant and its air charged by the superior Reiatsu of those who dwelled here. For all that it was also cramped with those grand structures and compounds rising high and seeming to push into each other's space.

To stray from the main road into the pathways was to invite the certain fate of getting lost. Isra had been tricked into that fate a number of times and only found her way out by climbing one of the higher walls or being found by Persephone who would have been tracking her down. A beautiful maze was no less intimidating when you found yourself caught in its winding paths and dead ends.

"Keep close, Isra," Persephone said and smiled. "Let's get cleaned and properly dressed. We don't want to get there and find the best food gone."

_**Later**_

Persephone and Isra walked on one of the walkways on their journey from Persephone's private palace where they had refreshed and changed after their journey from Persephone's private villa. Isra noticed that Persephone was as fearless as always.

_And she knows where she's going,_ Isra thought as she kept hold of Persephone's hand. _If it was me, I would get lost._

Isra looked down and smiled as her free hand touched the soft and smooth silk fabric of the silvery blue peplos she wore. Two gold clasps shaped like birds held the folds of the fabric in place just above her small breasts. A belt of green silk looped through a series of gold rings was fastened around her waist.

Persephone was dressed in one of her more formal outfits, a backless gown made of Hollow hide dyed dark green and lined with thick silver fur. The hide was held in place at the neck by a gold gorget with etchings of vines in silver and emerald chips to serve as leaves. A leather belt with metal studs was fastened around her waist just above the tops of her buttocks where the Hollow hide gown met in the back at a V. Isra admired how well-toned her sister's shoulders and back were.

She was rather self-conscious about her own body and so did not like to wear anything too revealing, unlike many of the Van Harr women who were not afraid to flaunt their well-toned and well-endowed bodies. By contrast to their tanned and curvy beauty, Isra felt like she was nothing but a slab of pale stone.

Persephone turned her head slightly and saw Isra's downcast expression.

"Worried?"

Isra nodded her head. She was worried about so many things, but she was most worried about doing something that would make everyone angry at her. She knew that her mere presence in the Shark's Court put many of the other Van Harrs on edge, especially Queen Freya. But that didn't stop her from hoping they would come to like her and doing what she could to make that happen.

Persephone smiled and put a hand on her slender shoulder.

"You'll be fine. I'll be sitting right next to you throughout the banquet."

Isra smiled a little under her veil.

_Persey knows how to make it alright,_ she thought.

As they approached one of the entrances to the Royal Palace, the servants who were busy sweeping the porch stopped their work and bowed. The women's veils hung down from the crimson dyed twine. Isra could clearly see the turquoise diamond tattoo on their foreheads that marked them as property to the Van Harr family. That mark was not only a mark of ownership but also of protection for one does not lightly tamper with a Van Harr's valued property.

The men also had their heads bowed. They bore the same tattoo, but unlike the women their heads and faces were completely shaven. Even their eyebrows had been shaved off. Their smooth faces were powdered. This was done to show them for what they were: eunuchs. It was custom for any man to directly serve the Royal Family was to either already be or to become _castratus_. Some met the knife reluctantly, but many were willing to castrate themselves for the honor of serving the Sacred Blood. And of course the privileges it brought. But Isra had few thoughts for that.

"You may continue," Persephone said as she passed.

The servants didn't say anything. They only bowed deeper before returning to sweeping the floors or beating the tapestries or polishing some of the marble statues. Persephone sighed at the effect of her presence.

"I forget how tiresome all of the formality can be. I guess that's what happens when palace life doesn't suit you."

"What do you mean, Persey? I thought you liked living the good life."

Persephone let out a small chuckle and shook her head.

"Isra, when you've lived the soldier's life and return to palace life, you realize just how boring palace life truly is and how very pointless so many of the matters that the Court exerts itself over truly are."

They made their way on the marble-tiled floors. Tall fluted columns decorated with stone vines rose on either side of them. The luminescent crystal glittered in the flickering light of torches from the fire basins that stood at every other column, releasing the sweet aroma of burning incense. Servants scurried about, stopping to bow before a member of the Sacred Blood. Isra could tell that Persephone found the whole thing to be annoying.

Soon, they could see the doors that led into the Hall of the Queens. The doors were open and Isra could see the Shark Throne on its dais at the very end of the hall. She was awe-struck with the way the aquamarine quartz it was made form seemed to glimmer with the firelight that lit it from behind. The seat was decorated with silver etchings of waves and large gold-etched sharks' teeth ran down the sides like scales.

_Too bad it doesn't have a cushion,_ Isra thought as she looked at the bare seat. _It must not be very comfortable to sit on all day. Poor Freya!_

As they entered the room, Isra looked at the tall Corinthian columns and the two rows of statues running down the hall to the Shark Throne. Each statue was of one of the Queens who ruled over the Triples. The first was of Queen Penelope who, along with Lady Apacci, led the Triples away from Las Noches. Next to the statue of Queen Penelope was the statue of Queen Andromeda, her sister, who had begun to forge the Queen's domain through military conquest and had even begun the construction of the Shrine. Isra looked down the rows of statues, trying to recall her lessons on their names and their achievements. Each Queen longed to surpass the one who came before and they usually did. But Queen Andromeda and Queen Hippolyta, who had founded the city of Sanction, were the two who had yet to be surpassed. And many Triples believed that they would never be surpassed.

Persephone led her away from the central aisle to the porch that ran along the outer-edge of the palace. Isra began to feel nervous. As they passed the statue of Queen Andromeda, Isra could have sworn that the statue watched them pass and that the stone eyes moved slightly to glare at her in disapproval.

_Don't be ridiculous. _ _They're only statues and everyone knows that statues can't move._

As they neared the porch, Isra grabbed the Hollow hide of Persephone's gown as if to keep her balance. Persephone smiled at her.

"Don't be nervous my innocent," she whispered as she patted Isra's shoulder. "You'll do fine."

"But what if…?"

"You'll do fine. You mustn't let fear become the goal otherwise that which you fear will come true. Just focus on me if you have to. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Alright then, just stay close to me and you'll be fine."

They stepped onto the large terrace into air filled with chatter and light wavering flute music.

The banquet was divided into long curving tables. The ones closest to the entryway were reserved for the lesser nobles who lived in the Shark's Court. The males sat with their backs to the entryway. Isra watched as their chatter died down as they turned to witness Persephone's arrival. She felt a mixture of pride and sorrow at the naked awe they had for Persephone. She was proud to have such a wonderful sister, but she doubted they even registered her presence.

They made their way past the tables for the lesser nobles to the tables that were the property of the elites, the hierarchs and matriarchs presiding over their own tables, even as the company mixed with women drifting from table-to-table. The men sat freely with the women here. She had been told that achieving this level of rank made their worth more apparent. Isra noticed that there were so few unveiled faces in this section. But she failed to notice that there were far fewer who looked at Persephone at these tables than the previous one.

Then there was the High Table. Raised on a dais, its oval shape was crafted out of the finest aquamarine quartz etched with gold and rested on marble legs sculpted to look like swimming sharks.

Isra looked away as they reached the steps leading up. Persephone waved on a serving woman with an empty tray who had stopped to bow to her. She noticed Isra stopping.

Normally this was where they would have parted ways with Persephone to dine with the Royal Family while Isra would dine with the servants. It was true that Isra could have taken a seat in the elite section since she was technically a member of the Royal Family, but she trusted her sister far more with the servants than the lesser sharks of the Court.

But this was not a time to accommodate her sister's timidity. It was time to give her a gentle push. She would have to learn to swim with the bigger sharks.

"Isra," she said gently. The veil made her large eyes all the more prominent when she looked up from her sandals. Persephone thought that with a little confidence she could have plenty of suitors.

_And when that happens I'll have to instruct her in the fine arts of Love._ _She won't be thrilled with that. Her mind's too young to be thrilled by that kind of instruction. But she might like the instructions in dancing._

Isra gave a tiny nod and walked up the steps onto the dais.

"Ah, Persephone and little Isra, the city brightens at the return of such fine daughters," a rich cultured male voice called. Persephone smiled while her sister practically beamed as one of the men at the table pushed his chair back and got to his feet.

"Father," Persephone greeted.

"Gran—I mean Lord Orion," Isra said bowing.

"Don't be so nervous Isra. Perhaps you should call me Orion tonight." He patted Isra on the shoulder.

The former prince was a man of significant height and thin build with a weathered complexion. His light green hair was pulled back in a shoulder length pony tail that revealed a handsome angular face. But his dark eyes betrayed his age. Even though they were now filled with delight wariness still lingered in them. He was dressed in a long sleeved suit of white with a dark blue short cloak clasped with a golden shark. He wore the dark cap of a scholar on his head.

"I see you still haven't updated your sense of fashion," Persephone remarked.

"Bah, when you reach my age fashion seems to change too often to bother keeping up with. At this rate it will be back in style again in no time," he answered with a sly look.

"Oh really? And what are the chances of that happening again?" Persephone demanded playfully.

"Well, considering that you told me it wouldn't even happen once, you will forgive me if I ignore your sage counsel in the matter of fashionable hides," Orion said as he bowed his head.

"Must I forgive you?" she asked with a sigh of exaggerated exasperation.

"I think you look nice," Isra said.

"Well thank you. It's good to know that someone finds my sense of style agreeable. And I must say that you look very lovely, Isra. You wrap yourself as a secret that people will want to unravel. An allure beyond a contest of displayed Hierro," Orion told her. Persephone quirked an eyebrow as Isra blushed and glanced down to the displayed cleavage of her rather small bust.

"And what were you saying about displaying Hierro?" Persephone demanded.

"You honor the Goddess in whatever you wear. Now hurry along, the Queen hates to be kept waiting," Orion said stepping between the two in order to nudge them onward.

Isra giggled and put a hand to her veil while Persephone rolled her eyes.

_It's too bad that he'll be the most pleasant company for the evening,_ Persephone thought.

Persephone's keen eyes spotted something that did not belong at the balcony's ornamental railing. It was an Arrancar girl with raven hair that had been mostly shaved off leaving only a mohawk with a long tail that had been tied into a bell-laced braid that glistened with perfumed oil. Her attire was scandalous. The woman was only dressed in a gold and gem-studded girdle around her waist with a long, narrow purple-dyed Hollow hide covering her womanhood. Her breasts were bare. But what made her fury uncoil coldly in her chest was the gold collar studded with rubies and amethysts about her neck and the chain that ran from the collar that was locked to the railing.

"Aphrodite," she whispered coldly.

"Persey?" Isra asked not catching the word.

Her only answer was her older sister taking her hand as they continued past the unfortunate. Isra looked at the chained girl curiously and raised her free hand in a wave. The girl looked back with empty eyes. She gave no response.

Persephone noted this from the corner of her eye. But more pressing matters were in front of her.

Queen Freya's seat was lacking in ornamentation, as was custom, for gatherings like this. And a table in a more circular shape did not have a proper head. This was meant to show a degree of family unity amongst the members of the Van Harr family before the masses.

Naturally it was bullshit.

There was more space between Queen Freya's chair and those flanking it. This made her stand out subtly but clearly. And everyone knew the favor of the day rested on those who sat in those chairs on either side of her. Just now one of Freya's daughters sat to her right, a purple-clad woman whose wavy blonde hair nearly touched the floor.

Persephone recalled that her name was Artemis. She wasn't as spoiled as some of the others, but she still had that air of entitlement typical of a Van Harr. She noticed that further down the table were the twin siblings, Oedipus and Electra, and judging from how close their hands were to the other's groin she figured that those Court rumors were true. But there was little evidence to support some of the other rumors about those two. But it didn't really matter to her. Such things were traditional and were encouraged as a way to keep the Sacred Blood pure.

_And they're perfect for each other,_ she thought. _They're both spoiled and ambitious little shits._

Further down, sitting as sulky as ever was one of the few Van Harrs who truly liked Isra, although Isra was still nervous around him. She supposed that the reason he liked Isra was that he was something of an outsider himself. Unlike the other siblings he was as pale as alabaster. His eyes were a pale lilac color and his crinkly white hair was held back by a gold ring. He was Jon Van Harr, but people simply called him either "The Albino" or "Sand Face." He looked up and gave a small smile when he saw Persephone and Isra. He raised his crystal goblet in greeting and Isra only lifted her hand in a shy greeting of her own.

She saw that the chair to Queen Freya's left was empty, waiting for her. The chair meant for Isra was occupied by a thin-looking Acolyte with pale blue hair.

"Ah Persephone, I see that you've come before my presence a hero yet again. Though I suppose someone of your distinction grows tired of accolades," Queen Freya greeted politely. She turned slightly in her chair to face the newcomers, but she did not rise from her seat of power.

_To her any seat she occupies is a throne,_ Persephone had long since noted.

Queen Freya Van Harr was the latest in the line of Andromeda as Queen of the Triples. She was Defender of the Shrine by obligations handed down through the generations from Queen Andromeda. And she was heir to Hippolyta as Queen of Sanction and the Shield and Sword of the Daughters of the Sands.

_And by her ambition she would be Queen of All Believers,_ Persephone thought with a grimace.

Her resemblance to the Goddess was uncanny. What could be seen of her face was like something out of the carvings. Her skin tone was credited by Apacci herself as being proper. Her spiky blonde hair was styled in the same manner. And, like most Queens, her royal attire mimicked the Espada uniform of Tia Harribel.

The only difference that Persephone could see was that Freya's breasts were notably smaller. But then again it was difficult to tell since the depictions of the Goddess's breasts usually bordered on the ridiculous.

"Most Feminine and Mighty Queen, there seems to have been a misunderstanding," Persephone bowed slightly. Freya raised a blonde eyebrow as though saying _"Oh…is that so?"_ Persephone felt the smaller hand in hers tighten its grip. She gave a reassuring squeeze but never took her eyes off her niece.

_Are we truly to engage in a contest of wills? I remember you as a wide-eyed yearling on my knee, Freya. You tried to tug my veil down as you did with everyone out of curiosity. Oh, and I remember how you would cheat at Hunter-and-Prey. And you would hide under the table because you would dare peak under your mother's gown._

_ And in those days I had already shed enough blood to be sick of it,_ Persephone thought. Queen Freya did not look away from Persephone's gaze.

"No, there is no misunderstanding," Freya said. "Sister Siona's feet grew tired while she was talking and she needed to rest for a little bit. Sister Siona, the seat's true occupant has arrived. I would advise that you hurry along to your other Sisters," Freya said without breaking her gaze from Persephone.

Sister Siona rose from the seat and glared darkly at Persephone and Isra. Persephone looked away from Freya and did not look at the Sister. She was not here to fight. Then she saw who Sister Siona had been talking to and her eyes widened.

_Oh shit,_ she thought as Isra happily took her seat. Isra picked up the silver plate before her. It was empty and polished to reflect. Isra was studying herself in its reflection to make sure her black streak was prominent.

Sitting next to her adopted little sister was Aphrodite Van Harr. And she looked pleased. Persephone could not remember the last time that look had meant anything good from her deviant younger sister.

"Ah Isra I see that you're as adorable as ever. It's such a shame that you have to hide such a pretty face," Aphrodite greeted as she leaned into Isra's personal space. The smaller Arrancar leaned away to make up for the lost space. To Persephone's pleasant surprise, Isra managed an answer.

"I'm a real woman now," Isra said shyly as she tugged on her veil.

Persephone saw that, for once, Aphrodite was actually wearing her own veil. But her veil was decorated with ornate patterns of purple and gold and crimson. The rest of her outfit was like the veil. It was ostentatious and skirted even the Royal Family's lines of decency, especially with how much of her bosom it revealed and how sheer the fabric was.

"I see that you're wearing your own," Persephone added as she sat down. She plucked Isra's plate from the girl's hands and reached to fill it up with the girl's favorite foods and some delicacies from the gardens that she was certain Isra had not tried.

"Her majesty insisted I wear one if I was to attend! Honestly, what is the point of beauty if you can't flaunt it?" the deviant royal whined.

"Van Harrs do not parade around like a bunch of vain Octavians or those…Sex Epsilons," Freya cut in briskly before sipping her moss wine under her own veil. Persephone gave a nod of agreement while the younger Van Harr rolled her eyes.

"You should try some before slandering them my dear kinswoman. Male or female, they pleasure you to the point that mere fornication can no longer satisfy afterward," Aphrodite sighed sensually. They could see her tongue press out against her veil in a swift licking motion.

"My dear kinswoman, must you be so vulgar about such things?" Persephone growled. Aphrodite giggled as she swirled the greenish wine in her glass.

"You are so funny, Persephone," Aphrodite said airily. "I think it's cute that you're trying to stay so old fashioned. In Octavia no one lets such prudishness get in the way of natural desires. I'm sure your girl could use a break." Aphrodite let out a chuckle as she turned her eyes down. Then she blinked in surprise when she saw that Isra was gone. Persephone smiled a little. Aphrodite had learned just how sneaky the little girl could be. Only one thing could ruin the experience of seeing Aphrodite actually disappointed.

"It seems as though your ward has given you the slip," Freya said. "And here I thought you were actually responsible to teach the little thing proper manners."

Persephone resisted the urge to glare at Freya. She had a feeling that this would not be a pleasant evening.

_**Isra**_

Isra popped a piece batter-coated fungus into her mouth and was thrilled with how it seemed to melt in her mouth coating her tongue. She would have to find out what it was called. She didn't like the bad air at her seat and so she decided to try somewhere else for a while.

This little act of adventure excited her. She thought she would talk to her grandfather but saw that he was engaged in conversation.

_Now what do I do?_

The fact that she shared no blood with these people was lost on her. They shared a name and she was told they were family. And as far as she was concerned they were family. But at times it didn't feel right with some of them.

Lady Aphrodite was one example. Isra always had the feeling that the woman was making fun of her even when they weren't talking to each other. And there was something not right about the way she would get close to her.

With her child-like logic, Isra decided to sit on the floor since the table wasn't looking available. Then she remembered that someone else was sitting on the floor as well. The idea of making a new friend excited her. She found the unveiled, nearly naked girl with strange hair and plopped down next to her.

"Hi, I'm Isra! What's your name?" she greeted as she leaned against the railings. The other girl looked at her with an odd expression that Isra couldn't place. But she was here to make a new friend; so she pressed on. "You don't have a veil. It's okay. I only just got mine. You'll love it when you go to the Shrine. It can be a bit scary being somewhere so sacred. But it's a good kind of scary. You'll look pretty with a veil. I like mine because it covers my mask fragment."

She received no answer and the girl actually looked away from her. Isra was desperate. She really wanted to have someone fun to talk to. Then she remembered the weight in her hands. In her excitement she had forgotten she had taken it with her.

"Are you hungry?" she asked and held out her plate.

The strange girl looked at it and then at Isra. She reached out with a hesitant hand and Isra nodded as she held the tray closer to her.

A short time later, Isra was beaming as she returned with a newly laden plate. She had given little care to what she grabbed. She only wanted to fill it up quickly. Her new friend had practically inhaled the food and had actually smiled at her! Very few of the people in the Shark Court had smiled at her. That brought the number of people who did so in a friendly manner up to four!

She knelt down in front of the girl and held out the plate. The girl grabbed at and devoured the food.

"You know, I might have to have Persey teach you manners. That way you can sit at the table with the others," Isra said.

She cocked her head as she looked at the chain and collar. Even though it looked pretty it also looked very uncomfortable.

Then her new friend stopped eating and looked off with wide eyes. Isra was about to glance to see what the problem was when her new friend shoved her. She fell on her back, the remaining contents of her plate spilled on her peplos.

"OH NO!" Isra cried out as she tried to wipe herself off before her favorite dress was ruined. Her eyes were wet as she pulled herself to look at her friend. The girl gestured wildly for her to leave.

_How did I mess up this time?_

As Isra tried to figure out what she did wrong a hand came down on her head and began stroking her hair. It wasn't Persephone.

"Aw, how cute, are you getting along with my new pet?" Aphrodite asked. The nearly nude girl put her fists to her eyes and began to rock.

"Pet? No, I was talking to her," Isra said pointing to the girl confused.

"She's the new pet I got on my latest visit to Octavia. I call her Lulu. Isn't that such a cute name?" Aphrodite cooed as she continued to stroke Isra's head.

"But…but Arrancars are people, not pets," Isra frowned and cocked her head in thought. "Pets are lizards or maybe a Hollow badger or…or that Hollow leopard that the representative from Luisenbarn, the Eunuch, has."

"Oh it's such a shame that you're being raised by someone so old fashioned. I could show you things in Octavia that would open your eyes to the possibilities of a world without silly veils and ridiculous rules. I could show you a world where perfection is achieved through beauty enhancements and instant gratification.

"Persephone has such a dangerous lifestyle. If anything were ever to happen to her, you should know that I would take very, very good care of you my little dove," Aphrodite cooed as she stroked Isra's cheek. "Yes, you're such an adorable little do—KHAAK!" Aphrodite began to wheeze. The hand stopped stroking Isra's cheek and she looked back to see Aphrodite on the floor. She was lying on her back. Her hands were on her neck as the air around her distorted.

Persephone stood over her. Her sword hand was stretched out and seemed to be strangling the air.

"You gilded piece of filth," she snarled. Chairs were pushed back from the tables. "How dare you touch my innocent Isra? You are a disgrace to all Triples. And you're Reiatsu is so very weak. It would be as simple and satisfying as crushing a sand beetle."

Aphrodite wheezed and pulled a trench knife from her belt. Isra realized that it was her sealed Resurrección from the way the blade's Reiatsu and Aphrodite's merged when it was grasped. Holding it seemed to do her no good as Persephone knelt over her. Aphrodite let out a choked cry as Persephone's Reiatsu pressed her into the floor which began to crack around her with an audible crunching sound.

_Persey has the scary eyes again,_ Isra thought as she saw the look on her sister's face.

A weight fell over the scene that caused some of the weaker Arrancars to fall to their knees or sprawl on the ground, struggling for breath. Isra was accustomed to Persephone's Reiatsu and so it did not bother her as much as it would have under other circumstances. Aphrodite gasped as she struggled against the crushing Reiatsu.

"That is enough, Lady Persephone. I order you to release her in the name of your Queen," Freya called out in a rather amused tone. The Arrancars who were still able to move turned to see that the Queen was still seated in her chair and had turned her chair to view the scene.

For the space of a heartbeat, Persephone did nothing. Then she let out a hiss as she closed her hand into a fist. Aphrodite was still coughing when she sprang and slashed Persephone across the belly. The fur-lined hide parted, but the skin revealed did not show any sign of being damaged.

Persephone sighed as if nothing had happened and held out her hand to Isra. Isra sprang up and grabbed the hand quickly. Relief washed over her.

"You filthy barbarian," Aphrodite spat after she had regained her breath. "You've shown that you've become nothing more than a mere soldier, more fit for the squalor of the borderlands than the glory of Sanction."

"And you've shown that you are nothing but a Daughter of the Mantis," Persephone whispered loud enough to be heard. The nobles gathered and even some of the servants gasped. Aphrodite's eyes blazed with rage.

"How…DARE YOU! You would dare to compare me to those savages. I may take their tongues and claws, but my pets want for nothing. They're better off living under _my_ leash than they would as wild savages. Your outdated principles and values are not the final word on proper behavior."

Some in the crowd murmured agreement. Others looked away clearly uncomfortable with the scene unfolding before them.

"And yet without those values we would be little more than wild beasts," Persephone said. She looked at the girl whose dead eyes practically wept with relief seeing Isra under someone's protection. "Have we become no better than those we rightfully hate? Are we to become so civilized that we become little better than the Soul Reaper devils?"

There was silence. Then someone began to applaud. All eyes turned to where Jon "The Albino" Van Harr was standing, clapping his hands, smiling.

"Very well said," he said in his smooth voice. "It's about time someone asked the hard questions around here."

"Shut up you heap of filth, Sand Face," Aphrodite snarled. Jon Van Harr only shrugged as he took up his crystal goblet.

"I salute you, Persephone Van Harr. It's about time a shark decided to go after another shark in the open instead of plotting in the shadows."

Persephone only nodded. Then she felt a tug at her hand. She looked down and saw Isra looking up at her and then she pointed to the chained Arrancar.

"Can't we do something to help her?" Isra whispered.

Persephone turned to look at Queen Freya.

"Your majesty," Persephone said.

Queen Freya did not say anything. Instead she looked away.

"I demand an apology," Aphrodite sneered as she got back on her feet and sheathed her blade. "Do you hear me? I demand an apology from you as is my right as a Guest of Honor for the new treaty with Octavia!"

"Oh…are we allied with them now as well?" Jon Van Harr asked in an exaggerated tone. Aphrodite's eyes snapped to glare at him. "You're not going to ask me to apologize for asking a simple question, are you?"

"Filthy albino scum," Aphrodite snarled and then glared at her elder sister. "Well…I'm waiting. Apologize or leave."

Persephone glared at her niece and shook her head. There was no way she would apologize to someone who would behave more like a Son and call it "civilized".

_The degree of civilization in a society can be judged in how they treat those in chains,_ she thought as she looked at the weeping slave.

"Your majesty, I thank you for your hospitality. But it seems we need rest more than celebration. The food and wine of the Shark Court is as fine as ever."

Persephone gave a small bow before she led Isra away from the table.

_But in other ways the finery has long since frayed or been shredded. It has since been replaced with the delusions of grandeur and the folly of unrestrained vanity disguised as that pretty lie known as civilization,_ she thought. She felt her father's eyes on her, accusing and demanding.

_I know dear father. But I couldn't be Queen regardless of how much you may think I should be. How could I do the things it would demand of me?_

Many looked on her with anger or fear, and others looked on her with adoration right now with the innocent girl, who knew nothing of the dark secrets that the Shark Court hid in the shadows, in tow. She didn't know which side she felt most uncomfortable with. But regardless they were her people.

_**Wind Song Fortress**_

The One True God-King stood in the Steel Wing Hall apart from Lord Edwyn, who waited respectfully, as he inspected the relief carved behind the High Seat. The relief depicted Cirucci Sanderwicci clad in a long gown. Her face was marred by the deformed fragment that had regrown from her crippled Reiatsu. God-King Benvolio reached out to run a finger over the carving depicting the misshapen fragment that had grown to replace the one that the Last Quincy had destroyed.

"It is only proper to honor one's ancestors in the Lord's Hall. However, it is supposed to show them in their glory, not their shame. Yet it was the same at Broken Hill. Why do you Tumas depict your matriarch at her nadir instead of clad in her steel wings?"

Edwyn Tuma looked past the mighty Arrancar to the sand and yet proud face carved into the wall. Even though there were still traces of haughtiness in that face, the pride in the stone face was closer to the kind that could only be earned from surviving a great ordeal. There was a time when he would have agreed with his master, but now he could only find that face beautiful. The misshapen mask seemed to only highlight the beauty and not diminish it.

"It is her glory, my God-King," Edwyn replied. "Look down at her belly if it pleases your majesty."

God-King Benvolio glanced down and. He saw that the swelling carved there was noticeable but still confinable to the gown. He knew the swelling from the number of ceremonies he oversaw. It was the swelling of an early stage Breeder.

"Our line did not spring from two Privaron," Edwyn said, his voice filled with sorrow. "It sprang from a Privaron and a woman who was looked down on and ridiculed for her defeat. We do not know if the Last Quincy was being merciful or cruel to take away a warrior's pride and power as he did.

"Everyone thought that Skullak should have simply brushed her aside. After all, a cripple was no fit bride for the Commandant of the Privaron. Even she expected it. Cirucci was prepared to crawl into the sands and die alone. However, his word was iron. She was his mate and he would not abandon her or let her destroy herself. As you know Sire, this is where our words originated.

"That was her only brood and even then it was small, only seven. It killed her to give her beloved mate children. It took years for her to die from it, but her sacrifice ensured that House Tuma would come to be. That is strength. That is a source of true pride, your holiness," Edwyn recounted warmly.

Silence fell when Edwyn finished. The God-King stared at the depiction and then turned away in silence. He stepped up to the High Seat and took his entitled place on it. He looked down at the Lord of Wind Song, his expression unreadable, and his eyes hard.

"I seem to recall the tale. It must have been when I was young during the reign of God-King Lorenzo," he said.

There was a long silence as God-King Benvolio closed his eyes in either deep thought or lost in old memories. Lord Tuma could do nothing but wait as the silence became more and more awkward. However, he had a feeling that the God-King would go from his usual stoic silence into another of his long-winded speeches. Edwyn had witnessed at least two such speeches before and knew that Benvolio would begin as he usually began: dwelling on the past.

"In those days being God-King truly meant something, Lord Tuma. Every Luisenbarnian knew how to follow the proper customs and procedures when it came to respecting their betters and treating their inferiors. Those were days when the Holy Luisenbarn Empire was truly strong and could stand on its own two feet. Then those times gave way to the reign of those who were unworthy to sit on the Skull Throne," the God-King growled with disgust. He looked at Edwyn, clearly expecting him to say something.

"Sire, your predecessors made Luisenbarn the grandest city in all of The Night," Lord Edwyn said cautiously. Every Luisenbarnian knew that even deposed God-Kings were risky to insult. Only the current occupant of the Skull Throne could insult those who came before with true impunity.

"The vain fools emptied our treasury in making the city needlessly suit their tastes. God-King Nicholas weakened the army and all but ignored the borghese in order to make the palaces larger and more ornate while God-King Philippe plundered the temples to give the masses their _panem et circenses_. Then God-King Caligula weakened the frontiers and forced the mates of the cavalieri including his own sisters and mother to become whores in order to decorate his halls with worthless baubles and fill the windows with colored quartz and fill his harem with Sex Epsilons.

"No amount of splendor or paramours makes up for the treasure lost or the degradation of Arrancars forced into tasks beneath their station or insulting to their person because he sold off too many of the borghese.

"Madness and disgrace, that's all that the Holy Capital of Luisenbarn is filled with now. Even I must pay the Octavians for my predecessors' debts while they heap even more debt on my head. Those Octavians are little better than filthy human plutocratic leeches, ensuring their survival by making the strong financially weak and preying on those too weak to stand on their own feet. I must raid abroad and be little more than a slaver or else my own subjects will become playthings for their Alphas.

"When I visit them I must reduce myself to a mere mummer even though I am certain that their horrid Director knows what I'm doing and plays along as though I was little more than a yearling. That damn Dorian Narciss treats me as though I was as significant as an insect crossing his path and the way he looks at me…. He thinks he has more power than I, the One True God-King of Hueco Mundo!"

God-King Benvolio tightened his hand into a fist. The control this ruler of The Night had over his Reiatsu was legendary, but the small wisps that Edwyn detected crackled with the force of his displeasure.

"What kind of God bows before his debtors, Lord Tuma? What kind of God makes a fool of himself for their amusement in hopes of getting an extended grace period on a loan? What sort of God can't fill his coffers? What sort of God must win spoils only to turn them over to another?" Benvolio growled.

"Sire, God-King Caligula was a strong warrior. That's how he became God-King and he was replaced by someone stronger," Edwyn said.

"'Caligula the Crazed,'" Benvolio said and snorted, "that's what we call him now. When he first came to power we did not realize what he truly was: a reflection of his ancient namesake. We only saw him as a great warrior and foolishly thought his strength would undo the weakness that Nicholas and Philippe allowed to fester in the Holy Empire.

"But what good is this? One could pine for the mistakes of the past all they want but it won't undo anything. We put him on the throne and he let the spiders scurry about to fulfill his vanity while he killed so many for his insanity's sake," Benvolio rumbled. Edwyn hoped that the God-King had said enough to satisfy this part of his lecture, but it became apparent that Benvolio hadn't said all that he wanted to say.

"It didn't matter who he killed: men, women, even yearlings. All that mattered for him were the voices in his head. When the voices told him to hold a feast and provide _panem et circenses_ for the masses, he did. When the voices told him to send his men out into the Borderlands and slaughter entire strongholds, he did. He became so paranoid towards the end that he even had his own broods and pregnant mates slaughtered."

"Those were dark times, your majesty. My clan paid our price for serving him," Edwyn said.

"Price? You speak as if the tragedy at Broken Hill was deserved. No clan deserves to suffer an atrocity like that. Massacres are one thing, but the Sons are something else." Benvolio glared at Edwyn from the corner of his eyes. "Caligula betrayed your family by aiding the Sons to overthrow Broken Hill. The Sons, in turn, made the sole surviving male _castratus _and many of the women were taken to the Empire of the Mantis."

Edwyn didn't wince at the reminder of the massacre that maimed one of the three remaining branches of House Tuma. The fate of his female kinsmen was not discussed for no words were needed. All knew the fate that women met when taken by the Sons. Even after all those years that night was an inescapable scar for Cirucci's descendants.

_The only reason I can call myself "Lord of the Tumas" is because so many branches have been cut from the family tree. To think that our own words caused Tuma to destroy Tuma time and time again,_ Edwyn thought.

"We survived, your grace, and have found our place in your reign," Lord Edwyn said. He hoped that the God-King would be placated enough to not reenter his tirade.

"Do not talk around the subject," Benvolio said. "I get enough of that at court. Perhaps you don't truly understand like Skullak didn't when everything fell apart in Las Noches. He thought he could hold it all together despite reality. In the end, it was a rash oath that killed him. He never truly understood that sometimes iron is the worst thing for an oath to be made of.

"Sometimes honor is only another word for foolishness," Benvolio said and shook his head sadly.

"Then why did you wish to see me, your grace?" Edwyn asked. He realized that he should have known better than to hope Benvolio would stop his long-winded speech before he had said all he wanted to say. As far as vices went, Edwyn thought that being long-winded was relatively tame compared to others.

_At least he's trying to do the right thing for his people,_ Edwyn thought.

"I came because Luisenbarn is withering," the God King said as he walked along the wall with its depictions of scenes from the Tuma's history. Edwyn was glad that the God-King was now presenting the facts concerning the current situation. "To make it worse, the decay is coming from within. That rot is that cult of the so-called 'Great Mother'. The number of its followers grows every year. There are even men who disgrace themselves by becoming eunuchs to show their devotion.

"It would be one thing if it was just the borghese, but my informatori tell me that a number of the cavalieri are secretly worshiping Harribel.

"We can confine the open believers to the Palazzo di Eresia, but these secret conversions are a pestilence. Luisenbarn was built and is maintained on the authority of its God-Kings. If its people start worshiping other gods, especially those that are tied utterly to a foreign dynasty, then it threatens the very existence of the Holy Luisenbarn Empire.

"We both know that Freya Van Harr is an ambitious bitch. Even though her words are polite, they are laced with veiled threats. It's not enough for her to be 'Queen of Sanction' or even 'Queen of the Triples.' Instead, she would rather call herself 'Queen of the Believers.' That includes those believers who dwell in my domain and are therefore my subjects."

God-King Benvolio turned and faced Edwyn who was now beginning to understand why the God-King came here.

"What do you do with an arm infected with rot or disease?" Benvolio asked. Before Edwyn could reply, Benvolio answered. "You cut it off. However, disease and rot can still return, with more ferocity than before if the stump isn't purified properly.

"The same is true with this situation. If I bring the needed steel down to cut this infection from my realm it will mean war with both Sanction and The Shrine. Who knows how many traitors will raise steel against me?"

"Surely the Shark's daughters would not commit to such a war. The Sons have been growing in power, and the Triples will need their warriors for the ancient Blood Feud," Edwyn answered.

Benvolio nodded, but pursed his lips in thought.

"That may be, but that is not how their Queen sees it. She is not a soldier like her aunt, Persephone, or her grand-mother, Juno. Freya is like her mother. She's a ruler who knows palaces better than battlefields. She never really grew up. From all the times I've dealt with the Queen of Bitches, she's always struck me as a spoiled little brat, used to getting her own way." He smiled a little. "Someday, she'll have to face reality and I hope to be there. I want to see her bound in chains and being dragged through the desert in disgrace. It would serve her right for ignoring the advice of those with the wisdom of experience, like Persephone.

"I met her once, Persephone the Despoiler. It was during the Great Swarm when even Pantera was threatened by those malformed monstrosities vomited from the mountains. Unbeknownst to either of us we both led troops against an Eater pack ravaging the borderlands.

"I was enraged by the devastation the Eaters caused and crossed the border in pursuit."

Benvolio frowned.

"She claimed to have rescued me from my stupidity, but in the end her women did not need to draw their blades. Between the two of us even the Eater swarm was short work. I got to truly know what kind of Arrancar she is from that fight.

"Persephone would see as you do, but not Queen Freya. She wants glory. When Freya looks at the Sons she sees that they have two cities and therefore she must also have two cities or else be seen as the Queen who fell behind the Triples' most bitter rivals.

"I face two options. Either I give in to her prods about protecting those who follow the 'Great Mother' in my domain and thus lose my power to the Shark Throne piece by piece. Or I will be forced into a war that will end in our defeat. We will lose because, even if we defeat the Shark and the Deer, there is still the Mantis, ready to pounce on a weakened victor.

"And the Mantis's influence is here as well!" Benvolio shouted.

"What?" Edwyn asked, shocked. "That's…that's impossible."

"Clearly you don't understand. A number of men feel threatened by the goddess. Most cling to the old ways with great ferocity and are thus loyal to me. However, there are men who look to the Mantis for salvation.

"The proof is that some of my men discovered a chattel. The poor creature was chained in a cave outside the city. She was freshly mutilated; not imported from those nightmarish pits in Tesla. They profaned my authority by performing that obscene ritual in my city!"

Lord Tuma found that he could not say anything. The shock was too great. Benvolio looked at him and nodded.

"Yes, what does one say when madness presses in on all sides?" He sighed.

"Luisenbarn is the one city of The Night where an Arrancar is not treated as vermin for their birth. Whether they are male or female, one can rise to greater heights based on merit. Yes, the weak still serves the strong, but there is pride in that service. Some kind of hierarchy must be maintained otherwise there would be no true greatness and thus nothing to strive for. We also do not give ourselves to obscenity or make things unnatural like the Octavians with their obsession for perfection.

"We are the hope of our race, Lord Tuma, and the barbarians are at the gates. The Sons and the Triples are pressing on either side of us with both threatening to overthrow us if we do not side with them. The Octavians are hounding me for payment of my predecessors' debts and will most likely force me to enslave all of my people. If we are to prevail against them then Luisenbarn needs its most noble and most able vassals manning the walls. Luisenbarn needs the Tumas.

"I need you at the Tribunale di Teschi as my Prima Spada," Benvolio declared, his voice solemn.

Edwyn expected it, but that did not make the declaration even less surprising. The honor being named "Prima Spada" was one that he feared would be set upon him as the Prime Spade of the past God-Kings were known to meet with unfavorable ends. However, he could not refuse. Benvolio's tone told Edwyn that this was not a request. It was an order. He bowed, baring his neck to the God-King and wondered if any of the other members of the Corte Spade would wield the blade to cut it.

_**Sanction**_

Persephone opened the stone door and breathed in the night air deeply as she stepped out into one of the Shark's Court's many moonlit gardens. The garden nearly covered the entirety of the large balcony. Walk-paths of stepping stones smoothed by Reiatsu with crushed stone in between wound through the beds of bio-luminescent plants. Persephone looked down the central walk-path lined with the tops of the crystalline trees that had been cut down and planted in pits of sand on either side to the far end. She could see the stone balustrade with the silvery moon-serpent ivy winding their way up the balusters shaped to look like kneeling men supporting the stone rail on their backs. The ever-constant crescent moon shone from its place in the black sky above, bathing all with its silver light.

Persephone took another deep breath of the plants' sharp sweet perfume as she walked the central path. Her hands were tucked behind her back in a manner suited for a military commander inspecting the troops than a lady strolling through the garden. She turned down one of the side-paths, looking at the various mosses and fungi and night flowers that had evolved to survive Hueco Mundo's never-ending night.

_This is true beauty,_ she thought.

She leaned forward to get a closer look at the collection of mushrooms and creeping fungi. Some of the mushrooms had grown large enough to where a child could sit on them. She remembered how, when she was a yearling, she would sit on those large mushrooms. Aside from a release of spores, Persephone remembered that those mushrooms made fairly comfortable seats. However, she had grown since then and the mushrooms would not be able to support her as they once did. She could see some of those larger mushrooms off to her right. Their bright colors declared them to be toxic and were thus unsafe to eat. The edible mushrooms, on the other hand, were plain and were cultivated to grow larger than their toxic kin.

_It's strange how something so beautiful can take life,_ Persephone thought. _Yet the plain and unadorned can sustain life._

Persephone felt that here, in the moonlit gardens, was true beauty. The beauty of the sun gardens, which Freya preferred, with their flowers of red and yellow and purple, had a false ring for all of their grandeur. Such plants could not survive the eternal night. They were pieces of another world stolen and forced to thrive in the chambers of glass and manufactured light, strangers in a strange land, never meant to belong.

_Yet, I have to admit that in some ways our world is no different from that one,_ Persephone thought.

She made her way to a bed of flowers that looked like stunted roses. The thorns were thick and barbed while the petals cast an eerie pale-green glow that illuminated her face. She reached out to one, holding it near the base of the stem so as not to touch the thorns. She plucked the flower and brought the blossom close to her nose. She inhaled its sweet aroma and smiled.

"Night roses were always your favorite, Persey."

Persephone turned to the source of the voice, Reiatsu flaring. She then suppressed the flow of Reiatsu when she saw Orion standing on the path behind her. The nobleman held two crystal cups of a dark green wine. While the sight put her at ease, it did not take away some of the shame of being distracted to the point where someone was able to creep up on her.

"Why shouldn't they be?" Persephone asked as she straightened, still holding the night rose. "We try to transplant the World of the Living as we dream of it, but if we bother to appreciate what we have then we can make Hueco Mundo our own paradise."

"'The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n,'" Orion quoted and sat on a nearby stone bench. He looked at her and cocked one eyebrow. Persephone sighed as she recognized the game he liked to play with her.

"John Milton, _Paradise Lost_," she said in an exasperated tone as she sat down.

"Very good," Orion said and held out one of the cups of win to her. Persephone accepted the cup. "No world is truly a paradise. They just look like that from the outside, except for Hueco Mundo. It appears to be a desolate hell, but we made it heaven. Perhaps that is why the Spirit King gave it to the Hollows and why the Shinigami let us keep it. Neither saw the possibility of paradise in this world and our ancestors defied them by their survival and evolution. If that is not a reason to be proud of being an Arrancar then nothing is."

Persephone frowned at the words and took a sip of the wine. She stopped as the intense bitterness hit her tongue. Her face wrinkled a bit and she looked at Orion.

"Bitter root wine?" she asked.

"Bitter drink for bitter words," Orion replied as he took a sip and grimaced.

"What do you mean?" Persephone asked.

"I could tell you much, but you won't forgive me easily if I didn't tell you what you most care about first," he replied. Persephone stood up, her eyes wide.

"What is it? Tell me, Daddy."

Orion took another sip of wine and was able to look Persephone eye-to-eye.

"Queen Freya is going to force the Vision Quest on Isra."

Persephone felt terror and rage rise in her. Her grip tightened on her cup until it shattered. The dark-green liquid flowed over her hand, mixed with the blood that was running from the cuts caused by shards of crystal that had pierced her Hierro. She could feel it sting, but she ignored the pain caused by broken crystal and wine. Instead she focused on the pain Orion's words had caused.

"How could she do that? Why is she doing this?"

"Freya has invoked her right to test the spirit of one who wants to bear the family name. As to her reasons, I'm afraid that it may be her way of hurting you," Orion replied. He held out his cup to her. "Here, have the rest of mine. I think you may need it."

Persephone took it and drained the remaining wine in the cup.

"Why would she hurt me? I gave her mother the Shark Throne in order to avoid another Great Schism," Persephone said.

"Freya wants to hurt you precisely because of that. She views that as an insult," Orion said. "In all of our history, no Queen has ever sat the throne without earning it. That is until you gave it to Hera."

"I did what I had to," Persephone said. "If I did not then the Triples would have become divided into two factions. Some would follow the military leaders who supported my claim while others would follow the Great Temple who supported Hera's. Such a war would have been catastrophic for us. Then there were the Sons who were eyeing us like vultures circling a dying beast. I knew that if I did not relinquish my claim then the Sons would have used the chaos to their advantage. If I continued to press my claim then it could have only ended with blood being spilled and the Sons charging into our territories."

"I know that, Persey," Orion said. "You did what you thought you had to, but there was another option. After all, so many Van Harr sons have been taken by the Wolf's Curse, why not a daughter?" Persephone looked at Orion in shock. She opened her Pesquisa to make sure that no one was close enough to overhear. She found no one, but she would not let her guard down. They were heading into territory that no Van Harr ever talked about out loud. She shook her head in response to Orion's question.

"No, I would never…"

"Wouldn't you? Knowing what you do now about Freya, are you certain that you wouldn't want the Wolf's Curse to descend upon her as it did so many others."

"Father, please, stop right there," Persephone pleaded. "This is not…"

"I know," Orion said. "However, I highly doubt that the Wolf's Curse would fall on my head just because I decided to talk about out loud. I'm not exactly the type who is most at risk when you consider that the first to succumb was Agamemnon, brother to Queens Penelope and Andromeda and the first-born son of the Great Mother.

"Agamemnon was likely to become king since he was beloved by the Tribe and was a great military commander. Even Lady Apacci was prepared to crown him as High King of the Believers and Lord-Paramount of Hueco Mundo. Then the Wolf's Curse struck him down just as he was about to reach the heights of glory he seemed destined to achieve. After him, every male Van Harr who began to chase after greater power, including the Shark Throne, fell under the shadow of the Wolf's Curse." He paused and sighed. Persephone felt uncomfortable. This was not the type of thing that was usually discussed, not even in shadows. "Sometimes the Curse fell on daughters as well."

The tone in Orion's voice said what his words did not. Persephone stood and walked down one of the walk-paths to the balcony's edge. She placed her hands on the cold stone and leaned forward. Orion followed her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You told me she was killed in battle," Persephone whispered. "You told me that the First Son killed her before she could release. Tell me. Was that the Wolf's Curse too?"

"Yes," Orion whispered. "I only recently found out the truth about your mother's death. I should have known since my brother was killed the same way."

"Do you know if Freya…"

"Persey, you know better than to ask that. No one asks questions when the Wolf's Curse falls on any Van Harr, and that includes another Van Harr," Orion said and smiled. "You were just giving me a hard time for just talking about it."

Persephone nodded and rested her head against his shoulder. Orion began stroking her hair as he had done when she was a yearling.

"However," Orion continued and stopped stroking her hair, "I doubt that Freya had anything to do with it. She was too young to be involved back then and was more interested in her dolls and the latest fashion than political intrigue. Hera could have, but, as far as I know, she never shared her daughter's ambitions. Your other sister, however, would have followed you as Queen back then, if you had taken the Shark Throne," Orion answered.

"That bitch," Persephone snarled as she thought about Aphrodite.

_She would be capable of such an act,_ Persephone thought. _With mother out of the way and with me on the Shark Throne, she would only have to bide her time. After all, she was older than Hera if only by a few minutes._

She closed her eyes and could see Juno looking down on her as she practiced her swordplay in the practice yard with some of the younger Van Harr children while Aphrodite was too busy playing dress-up with some of the more vain Van Harr women. She remembered how proud her mother had been when she knocked down a boy who was twice her size and three times her weight.

_"That's my Persey,"_ Juno had said. _"You have the makings of a great warrior, and then, when I am gone, you will become Queen. Perhaps you will be the one who will surpass even Andromeda and Hippolyta."_

Persephone fought back the tears that threatened to reveal themselves.

"Did I make the right choice, Daddy?" she asked, her voice starting to crack. "Did I do the right thing when I gave it up to Hera and then to Freya?"

"I don't know," Orion replied. "Only time can tell whether you truly made the right decision or not. However, I fear the answer will reveal itself sooner than we hope. After all, the Sons are pressuring Benvolio to dissolve the pact his predecessors made with us and he is weakening thanks to the mistakes of the past. The Panterans are starting to eye our territory as well and have sent out raiding parties to probe our borders. If Grimmjow ever returned to them then they would march out to war without hesitation. If war does come, then I'm afraid that Freya is not prepared to handle it as you would have been."

_I know that,_ Persephone thought. _But I couldn't take the throne then. Not after I've learned the truth. Or is that just my selfishness? Did I run away from my duty only to turn back too late?_

The question gnawed at her as she sat in silence with her father.

_**Isra**_

Isra did her best not to look down at her feet, but failed to keep from clutching at her peplos and thereby betraying her nervousness. Try as she might her hands wouldn't smooth out releasing the fine garment she was so proud of from her fists. She could feel Freya's eyes on her, weighing her, measuring her, and the silence did nothing to ease her growing terror.

She did not think this room that Freya brought her to was the Queen's personal chamber. It resembled a giant closet, full of mirrors, jars filled with creams and perfumes, clothes, and dyes. It had the chemical smell that Isra associated with the beauty section of the great bazaar with its wares from Octavia and even Las Noches. She hated that section. It made her eyes water, which embarrassed her and made her want to cry for real.

Isra's eyes wandered to the mosaic on the wall depicting Queen Hippolyta being crowned on the Shark Throne by Lady Apacci. Apacci looked a bit different in the mosaic from what Isra remembered: her face was a bit lighter over the tiled veil and the eyes were more almond-shaped.

"I hardly ever look at that thing anymore," Freya said.

Isra snapped her attention back to Freya who was still looking into the round looking glass as she applied more of the beauty cream on her skin. Isra wondered if it was meant to lighten or darken her skin, so as to better match the Goddess's appearance. The jacket's collar was unzipped as it had been at the feast. However it did not merely reveal a pair of ripe red lips and smooth jawline. The jacket had been unzipped low enough to reveal a mask fragment that looked like the lower jaw of a barracuda clinging to her bare shoulders; its point nestled in the valley between her breasts.

Freya smiled at Isra's reflection. The monarch opened her top further, rubbing the grey cream onto those softer regions of her Hierro. Isra shifted her arms, unknowingly trying to hide her lacking chest compared to Freya's fuller breasts.

"Don't be nervous, little bird. I'm not going to bite you," Freya said, almost laughing, as she smiled at Isra. She placed the stopper back into the stone jar and returned it to its place on the small table. She zipped up her jacket a little, restoring some modesty, but still left her shoulders bare. Freya allowed her fingers to dance over the crystal jars before picking one that was halfway filled with perfume. "I merely wished to talk, especially after what happened at the feast."

"What did you want to talk about?" Isra asked. The Queen seemed to be friendly today, but Isra was afraid she would do something wrong and make her angry.

"'Your majesty,'" Freya said. "You're supposed to ask, 'What did you want to talk about, your majesty?' Didn't my dear aunt teach you that?"

"I'm sorry…your majesty," Isra said and looked down at her feet. She was already messing up, again!

"Look at me," Freya said in a sing-song tone as she poured a little bit of the perfume onto one palm and then rubbed her elegant neck with it. "It's not proper to look at the floor when in the presence of the Queen."

_It isn't?_ That confused Isra since all of the servants and many of the nobles looked at the floor when Freya was near, and Freya never made a fuss about it. However, Isra knew better than to argue. It was better to just agree with people, or run away to Persey. But she couldn't run away from Freya.

"I'm sorry, your majesty," Isra said, raising your head.

"Keep your head lowered until I say you can raise it," Freya said. Her smile widened a little as she watched Isra try to find the happy-medium between lowering her head and yet keeping her eyes on her.

_She's playing with me,_ Isra thought. Fear continued to gnaw at her and her panic began to rise.

"Much better," Freya continued. "A young woman must learn how to obey those who have authority over her, especially if she wishes to live in the Shark Court as a Van Harr."

Isra did her best not to flinch, but the slight widening of her eyes betrayed her. Her eyes were naturally large and expressive, and the veil that hid most of her face only made them more so. Freya smiled and stood from her seat. She turned to face Isra, still rubbing the perfume into her Hierro.

"You must think that I don't want you to become a Van Harr," Freya said. "It won't do you any good to deny it. I know Persephone well enough to know that she told you that I, like the Queens before me, want to keep the bloodline pure. However, I assure you that I do not think that way."

Freya walked over to Isra and placed her smooth hands on Isra's shoulders. Even though Freya was not as big as Persephone, her hands still reminded Isra of her own smallness. Isra could smell the scent of night roses coming from Freya and was relieved that it was not one of the Octavian perfumes that made her eyes hurt and her head swim. Freya smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes.

"I want you to become a Van Harr, because I know that it will make Aunt Persey very happy. She always wanted a little sister whom she could look after. My mother did not fit the role she wished her to play; nor did Aphrodite for that matter."

Freya put a hand under Isra's veiled chin and raised her face. Isra looked into Freya's eyes and saw an unfriendly glee in their depths despite the pleasant smile on her face.

"However," Freya continued, "I want to make sure you're strong enough to handle being a Van Harr, little Night Child. I would hate for you to get devoured and then have to face my dear aunt's fury. Knowing her, she would call me 'irresponsible' for allowing you to become a Van Harr without testing you first. Am I right?"

Isra thought about it. She supposed it made sense. Persephone hated any kind of irresponsibility and it would be irresponsible to force her to swim with the sharks without first making sure she could handle it. Isra wanted to make Persephone proud and she felt that the best way to do that was to prove that she was strong enough to be with her as true family.

"I suppose," Isra said.

"Smart girl," Freya said and stroked one check. "Since you are a smart girl, can you tell me how each Van Harr proves that they are worthy of that most holy name?"

Isra thought about it, head tilted slightly. Freya backed away from Isra a little.

"By…going to war?" Isra asked.

Freya looked at her for a moment and then laughed. It was a high, but not irritating, sound. Isra couldn't help but smile a bit under her veil even if she worried that the Queen was laughing at her.

"Oh, now I know you've been spending too much time with my aunt," Freya said when she got herself under control. "That's exactly the type of thing Persephone would say. However, that's not exactly the answer that I'm looking for."

Freya walked to a heavily curtained doorway and threw the curtains aside with a flick of her wrist. The night wind brought relief to Isra's eyes. She followed Freya onto the balcony that wrapped around this level of the central palace. Isra looked out over the series of palaces and gardens that formed the Shark's Court below her and then followed the Queen's gaze as it went in the direction of the Great Temple.

Isra could hear the Temple Maidens sounding the horns from the twin rooftops. Smoke rose from the altar as the offerings to the Great Mother were being made by the Priestesses on behalf of the Faithful. The smell of roasting meat and sweet incense began to fill the night air.

"Every Van Harr proves that they are worthy of the name by undergoing the Vision Quest, Little Isra," Freya stated.

Isra gasped and put her hands to her veiled mouth. She had heard about the Vision Quest and it made her uneasy. The thought of being lowered into one of those cramped cells far below the Great Temple and being sealed inside frightened her. Then there were the stories of those who underwent the Vision Quest seeing horrors that they refused to talk about or seeing visions of ruin and desolation. Some had even died by choking on the fumes of spirituality.

"I know all of the stories you may have heard," Freya said. "However, I underwent it. So did Persephone. In fact, every Van Harr woman you saw at the tables tonight underwent the Vision Quest. We're still here and intact."

"W-what was it like?" Isra stuttered.

Freya looked away, her eyes becoming distant and her posture changing into something that Isra had never seen from her before. It was the posture of one carrying a great burden on their shoulders.

"It was…dark…and lonely," Freya said, her voice distant. "Yet only knowing darkness and loneliness can one truly come to terms with being alive."

"Were you afraid?" Isra asked.

Freya smirked, straightening to her usual haughty posture as she turned her full attention back on Isra.

"Humph, that's a rather impertinent question to ask. A Van Harr is never afraid and to show that we go into the cramped dark spaces beneath the Great Temple. We prove our courage by facing the Vision Quest and whatever is revealed to us."

"What did you see, your majesty, when you went through the Vision Quest?" Isra asked. She was finding herself more intrigued. Persey never told her about the details of the Vision Quest. Every time the subject was brought up Persey would change the subject. Isra was not as smart as some, and she knew this, but she was not quite as dumb as others seemed to think.

Freya looked at Isra and smiled, but there was a sense of unease in that smile.

"That is not something to ask until after you've undergone the Vision Quest, and even then I may not answer that question," Freya replied reclining a bit against the railing.

Isra nodded. She understood the logic of that answer. Freya smiled, zipping the collar to fully cover her lower face. She put her hands on the back of Isra's head and pulled her closer. She bowed enough to where her gleaming green eyes looked into Isra's violet eyes.

"So, Little Isra, are you brave enough to be part of this family?"

_**Persephone**_

Persephone took a deep breath, trying not to be obvious about doing so, as they neared the Queen's Gate. The guards must have been expecting them since when they saw Persephone and Isra coming near, they opened the gates. Ahead, Persephone could see the Pilgrim's Road going around the great altar. The smell of burning meat and incense reached her nostrils. She could see a line of pilgrims bringing their offerings forward.

"Persey," Isra whispered.

"Hush, it's just the clergy performing the offering rites," Persephone said.

As they passed, Persephone saw one of the Acolytes wrapping a leg of a small Hollow lamb with a chain. The Acolyte then hoisted the beast into the air as another came bearing a bowl and a stone knife. She placed the stone bowl beneath the animal while the other Acolyte pulled at its under-chin to bear the throat.

"Oh Goddess, be pleased with this offering that is brought to you," the Acolyte prayed as she slid the knife along the beast's throat. Blood gushed forth and poured into the stone bowl.

Persephone looked at Isra and saw that she was cocking her head in thought.

"Does the Great Mother really drink blood?" she asked.

"No," Persephone replied. "It's merely to represent how the one who brought the offering is willing to shed their blood for the Great Mother."

She saw Isra's eyes follow the Acolyte bearing the stone bowl filled with blood to a stone shaped like a shark's tooth in front of the altar that had dark red-brown stains on it. The Acolyte poured the blood on the stone. Persephone patted Isra's shoulder to let her know that it was time they got moving. Isra looked up at her.

"Which way do we go?"

"We can go either way since both wings have steps leading down to the main chamber below."

Persephone led her to the right. She watched as Isra looked up at the night sky above and the tall pillars on either side.

She led Isra through the columns until they came to an opening in the stone floor. A broad flight of steps led down. Initiates and Acolytes were walking up and down the steps. Some carried scrolls or tablets while others carried various ritual tools. Isra looked at them with interest.

"Persey," she said.

"What is it?"

"This place isn't like the Shrine. It doesn't have the same feel to it."

"I know what you mean," Persephone said as she squeezed Isra's hand.

They descended the steps. The walls on either side were lined with lit basins filled with oil. Scurrying Initiates paused to bow before scurrying away to perform whatever duties were required of them. Persephone couldn't help but think of the desert rats that would sometimes get into the barracks. She smiled at the memory of her and some of the other soldiers throwing stones at the rats and watching them scatter.

As they neared the bottom of the stairs, Persephone saw one of the Acolytes waiting for them. She was dressed in a uniform similar to those at The Shrine except that she wore a belt of silver rings about her waist and the skirt was made of white silk and her bosom was covered with white strips of silk. Her veil was held in place by a thin rope of gold silk thread.

"Lady Persephone," the woman said, bowing, "we were expecting you. The High Priestess is currently preparing the Vision Cell and will meet with you when the preparations are complete."

"I thank you," Persephone said, bowing to the Acolyte. "It's good to see a heart of service amongst the clergy."

The Acolyte nodded, clearly pleased with the praise. She looked at Isra and she bowed.

"Is this the girl?" she asked.

"She is," Persephone replied.

"Please, follow me," the Acolyte said.

She led them through the large antechamber to a small chamber dug into the wall. Isra looked at the worshipers who were present as they exited other such small chambers dressed in grey cilices and giving their regular clothes and swords to Initiates who gave them a small stone disk in return. The Acolyte pulled the fraying curtain of Hollow hide aside.

"Please, change in here," the Acolyte said. "The Lady and I shall wait out here to give you some privacy."

Isra looked at the small stone bench and saw the grey frock folded on its surface. When she entered the small chamber, the Acolyte pulled the curtain shut. Isra touched the frock's rough cloth and sighed as she began to undress.

She stood naked in the chamber and held up the cilice. The cloth felt uncomfortable to the touch and the edges were showing signs of wear. It was clearly meant to enforce humility before the Goddess. She pulled the cilice over her head. At first it felt like any other fabric, if a little rougher. Then the fabric started to irritate her skin to the point where she wanted to take off the shirt and not go through with this. However, the thought that doing so would disappoint Persephone went through her mind.

_I won't let Persey down,_ she told herself as she drew the curtain aside.

She saw that Persephone and the Acolyte had been joined by a Novice who kept her head lowered. She held out a small stone medallion.

"The Novice will take the garments you came in with," the Acolyte said. "In exchange, you will get this stone medallion that you will return to one of the Novices by the stairs when you are finished. She will return your garments to you and you may change in this area before leaving. Do you have any questions?"

Isra shook her head.

"Good," the Acolyte said. "Now, please follow me and I shall take you to the Vision Cells."

The Acolyte led Isra and Persephone to an archway at one end of the antechamber. They archway led into a hall, lined with private cells reserved for pilgrims. Persephone could see the flickering flames and hear the prayers coming from the main shrine. She looked to Isra and saw her scratching where she could reach. She nudged Isra who looked at her and was about to protest, but fell silent when she saw the look on Persephone's face.

_She obviously thinks my displeasure is aimed at her,_ Persephone thought. _Still, it's for the best that she remains silent. The Priestesses here are not as forgiving as those at The Shrine these days, and I don't have all that many fond things to say of those ones anyways._

Persephone looked at the cilice that Isra had been provided and suppressed a groan. She thought it best not to mention that the royals were usually given higher quality cilices for this sort of thing, or that she was wearing a child's size one. It was clear that the Great Temple was in step with Queen Freya regarding Isra.

When they entered the central shrine, Persephone's gaze went to the mosaics that decorated the walls and ceiling and floor with distaste. She remembered a time when the Van Harr family had been prominent but clearly second to the Goddess and the Tribe in this temple. However, ever since Hera and especially Freya had taken the throne, the royal line had replaced much of the other two in the décor.

_That's a dangerous way to think,_ Persephone thought. _If you place a living ruler as a god then you will eventually disappoint the people. All one has to do is look at Luisenbarn for proof. They forget that the court is nothing without the common Triples beneath it._

She looked to the statue that dominated the center of the room, its pedestal ringed with fire. The worshipers assembled prostrated themselves before the statue of the Three-Faced Goddess gilded in gold and decorated with precious stones. It was a statue that demanded awe by the very means of its vanity, unlike the statue at The Shrine.

The Acolyte gestured for them to follow her to a doorway at one side of the room. They followed her down another flight of stairs until they reached a short hall at the end of the stairs. Here the light was provided by the phosphorescent quartz, casting its eerie light on the bare stone. The door at the end of the short hall swung open, pushed by an Acolyte with pale blonde hair. Persephone saw the twin serpents winding up her arms. She bowed to them and stepped aside.

Persephone led Isra through the door and they stood in a large room. Bronze oil lamps hung from the ceiling from chains. The walls were decorated with carved and painted images of Harribel's life from when she was found by the "False Sun" with his empty promises to the Great Betrayal. The pillars were decorated with carved images depicting the lives of the Queens.

Persephone felt a chill run up her spine and her gaze went to the floor. Round slabs of stone were laid at regular intervals to where they made ten rows of three slabs each. Thin tendrils of smoke rose from the three holes drilled into each slab. She heard a small cough and looked to see that Isra was trying to adapt to the fumes. She put a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Persey, what is this place?" Isra asked, daring to speak-up for the first time.

"This is the border of the Night Lands and the Underworld," Persephone replied.

The door at the other end of the chamber opened and one of the High Priestesses, followed by three Acolytes, entered the chamber. She wore the distinct garments of the high ranking Priestesses in the city. She wore a long white kalasiris held up by a pair of straps dyed bright yellow and decorated with blue lightning bolts that were tied together at one shoulder. A gorgerine of gold discs and studded with various gems hung about her shoulders and glimmered in the firelight. Her veil was embroidered with the mouth of a shark. A jingling sound resonated from her as she walked due to the many bracelets and anklets she wore. The High Priestess wore a perfumed black wig styled to resemble Apacci's hair style bound by a gold circlet with a single emerald. She carried a sand-glass in one hand; the bottom bulb was three-quarters filled with sand while the top was empty.

Persephone had wondered for some time if the High Priestesses wore so much ornamentation in order to make the masses think they were on equal footing with royalty.

Persephone bowed and pressed her hand gently against Isra's back so that she was bowing as well. The Priestess bowed in return and straightened.

"Welcome, Persephone, most honorable and mighty warrior of the Goddess." She moved her eyes slightly to look at Isra. "You are welcome as well, Isra of the lonely night. I have been summoned to test your spirit with the journey of your soul to achieve the Vision of Revelation. Do you accept this ordeal?"

"Y-y-yes…yes, I do," Isra stuttered before steeling herself to answer firmly. Persephone smiled at that tone. She knew that Isra had courage, but it was just a bit harder to bring out in the strange girl.

"Then let us begin," the High Priestess said as she led them to one of the nearby slabs of stone. She gestured to the Acolytes and then pointed at the slab of stone she had stopped in front of.

The Acolytes knelt beside the slab and put their hands on the stone. The High Priestess jerked one finger and the Acolytes pushed. Isra winced a little at the grinding noise the stone made and began to cough as smoke rising from the hole the stone had concealed struck her. The smoke rose to be vented out through one of the narrow slits in the ceiling above.

Isra poorly suppressed a gulp as she looked into the dark hole. For a moment Persephone was certain she saw a gleam of amusement in the High Priestess's eyes. However, it was gone so quick that it might as well have been her imagination.

"Young Isra," the High Priestess said. "You are to lower yourself into the Vision Cell. There is a metal grate about three-quarters your height below the edge. You are to sit on that grate. When you are situated, the stone will be moved back into place to seal you inside. We will check on you after every three turns of the sand-glass. Do you understand?"

Isra nodded. She hesitated a moment and then sat at the cell's edge. She pressed her hands against the stone floor as she lowered herself into the cell. The Acolytes helped Isra situate herself in the cell.

Persephone watched Isra before turning back to the High Priestess. The High Priestess looked at her in surprise and then saw the blaze in Persephone's gaze. Even without Reiatsu, the look made the woman almost stumble back a step or two. When Persephone was satisfied that the High Priestess understood the situation properly, she walked to the cell's edge.

She knelt beside the edge and looked inside. Isra looked back up her just as the Acolytes started pushing the stone back into place. Persephone smiled down at her.

"You'll be fine," Persephone whispered. "I'll be right here the whole time."

Isra smiled just as the stone obscured her and sealed the Vision Cell.

_**Isra**_

Isra squirmed in the dark. She watched as her pale legs caught the light from the three small holes above her. Her fingers dangled through the gaps of the grate she sat on. She sighed as she crossed her legs again. Sour smelling smoke rose around her from the vats of boiling water below.

The cell was small, and the circular walls did not let even someone as small as her stretch her legs. She glanced up at the stone lid that sealed her in. The three small holes drilled into the stone were enough to keep her from suffocating, but not to allow too much of the smoke to escape.

_I don't want to be here. I want to be with Persey. I want to go home._

However, she also wanted to become a Van Harr. She wanted to take on her sister's last name. To do that, she would have to undergo the Vision Quest since every Van Harr had done before. She would have to open her Third Eye, and to do that she would have to partake of the mystic herbs from the forests of the Underworld.

She took in a deep breath of the smoke and coughed as the smoke filled her nostrils, her throat, and her lungs. There was no coolness in the air, only heat. Her head began to feel light and her vision began to swim. She needed more air, but breathing in only made her throat raw. She gasped, only to breathe in more of the potent steam. Her eyes stung and her nostrils burned.

_It's not working,_ she thought as panic seized her. _I need to get out. I need air._

She tried to lift her head to where she could breathe in some of the air outside the cramped cell. Her head swam and her body was starting to weaken as the toxins within the steam began to take effect.

Had the walls become closer? She was sure that they had. The walls were pushing around her, working their way in to crush her.

_Air…I need…air…air…_

Isra raised a trembling fist. She tried to focus, but her mind swam. Then she saw the first faint violet rays as a Bala began to form.

_AIR!_

Then Persephone's Reiatsu intruded on her panic. It was strong and yet gentle. Isra allowed the Bala to die and her lips curled into a small smile. She could feel her adaptive sister's presence crouching at the sealed mouth's edge.

_Persey's here,_ Isra thought as the black flower blossoms bloomed in front of her. _I'm safe. Persey's here…she won't…bad…happen…she…promised. I'm…safe…Persey…_

There was blackness and then all was white.

_**Persephone**_

Persephone could feel Isra's Reiatsu fade to the faintest spark. She looked at the High Priestess.

"She'll be alright," the High Priestess said. "Her body may be fragile, but her will is strong. Many have a similar experience in the vision cells, but it will only make the third eye stronger. She will be alright."

"You better pray that nothing happens to her or else I will bring down my full fury on your head," Persephone snarled. _And I'll do the same to Queen Freya for making Isra go through this._

Persephone fought back the urge to just blow the stone lid to pieces. She closed her eyes and prayed to the Great Mother to keep Isra safe.

_**Isra**_

_ Isra blinked. She was on top of a sand dune and looking out over the night-shrouded desert of Hueco Mundo. The sands shone bone white in the moonlight._

_ "How did I get here?"_

_ She looked down at herself and saw that her feet were still bare, but instead of the cilice she had been provided with she was dressed in a snow-white sleeveless dress. The silk felt cool and smooth against her skin, unlike the cilice that made her itch all over. Her hand went to the silver brooch pinned just under the left strap. She traced the animal's shape, trying to figure out what it was. Her face lit up with recognition._

It's a rabbit: my favorite!

_ She looked up again at the white sands under the black sky. She looked around and saw nothing but sand and sky._

What do I do now?

_ She sighed and closed her eyes. She spun around and counted to ten. She walked in the direction she was facing._

_ Time is strange in Hueco Mundo with its still heavens, void of anything save for the ever crescent moon. There was no concept of day or even real night. There was only a cycle of rest and activity. In Sanction she could mark time by the cries from the temples calling out the hours based on the sand clocks. On the road her companions had learned to keep to a cycle that she followed._

_ However, she was alone. She tried to find any sign of life, but all she could see was the sea of sand surrounding her and the empty horizon. She glanced over her shoulder and saw with sorrow her footprints vanish a few paces behind her. It was as though she had never been there._

This must be Starrk's Solitude,_ she thought. _

_She remembered Persephone telling her the story of Starrk when he divided himself in two. The story made Isra feel sad and she felt that Starrk was someone to be pitied rather than hated, but such a notion was heresy in the eyes of the Faith. However, sometimes orthodoxy was nothing more than truth corrupted by time and prejudice while heresy was more in line with reality._

_ "I wish Persey was here with me," she whispered as she walked in the empty world. "I don't like being alone."_

_ She stopped for a moment and looked up at the night sky. The wind was blowing and it seemed to be whispering something to her. She couldn't be sure, but she thought it was a word or a name. She closed her eyes and tried to really listen to the wind. That was when something touched her on the nose. Her eyes flew open and she was surprised at what she saw._

_ "Is that sand falling from the sky?" she whispered. _

_It didn't feel like sand. It was cold and wet, not dry. She stuck out her tongue to catch some of the falling flakes on her tongue. The flakes that landed on her tongue melted and she recognized it from stories that Persephone would read to her before going to bed._

_ "It's snow!"_

_ She leaned forward and picked up some of the sand, only to find that it was not sand. It was now snow. She laughed as she danced around in the falling snow, catching more on her tongue. She closed her eyes, allowing the cold wind to caress her and the snowflakes to fall on her with their light and wet touches. When she opened her eyes she found that she was no longer in the desert of Hueco Mundo._

_ She was standing in the middle of a court, surrounded by crumbling walls and the decaying ruins of a manor. It looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Dead trees stood in neat lines, their blackened bark and bare branches made them look like hands of frozen men reaching for the full moon that hung above._

_ "I don't like this place," she whispered as she backed away._

_ "—kia," somebody whispered._

_ Isra spun around, seeing no one. There was nothing except only the snow-covered ruins surrounding her. She listened, hoping to hear footsteps in the falling snow, but there was only the sound of the wind, whispering its strange words._

You've got to know your name,_ a voice deep inside whispered._

_ "I do know my name," Isra protested as she clutched the sides of her head. She shut her eyes. "I do know my name. It's Isra. My name is Isra."_

You've got to know your name. You've got to know your name. Now, dance…

_"I Know My Name!" Isra shouted. "Leave me alone. Just leave me alone."_

_ The voice did not say anything. Isra opened her eyes and saw that she was standing in front of a tall column of ice that seemed to stretch forever into the sky. The wind seemed to become more ferocious, whipping up snow that whirled around her. It seemed to be shouting out a name that Isra did not know and yet it seemed familiar._

_ She looked into the ice and saw a figure trapped in the ice. Isra felt fear rise in her and an animalistic urge to run came upon her. However, she found that she couldn't run. It was as though something was keeping her frozen._

_ She looked down and saw ice creeping up her legs. She struggled, trying to be free of their hold. However, the more she struggled the more the ice held on to her._

_ "Do you know me?" the figure trapped in ice asked._

That voice,_ Isra thought._ _Recognition flared from the depths of her mind and with it was a sense of dread so intense that it threatened to overwhelm her._

_ "I…I…I don't know you," Isra whimpered._

_ "You've got to know your name."_

_ "Isra…my name's Isra. You…you're not real. You're nothing but a shadow."_

_ The figure stirred at that, its ice prison cracked a little._

_ Isra screamed as the snow- white blade broke through the ice. Darkness swallowed her and then…_

…she felt a pair of arms wrap themselves about her. She found that she could breathe again. Isra opened her eyes and saw Persephone looking down on her.

"It's alright, Isra, I'm here," Persephone said.

Isra smiled before darkness swallowed her again.

_**Wind Song Fortress**_

Lord Edwyn Tuma checked the straps to make sure that the chests he would be taking with him to Luisenbarn were secured in the cart. He glanced to the small folk who would be pulling this and the other carts.

They wore loose dark grey trousers and thin vests, in preparation for the exertion of the journey. Their "goodbyes" had already been said. Now they stretched and warmed-up for the work ahead. Even though it was bitter and boring work it was not hard to find volunteers. After all, their reward was to visit the holy city of Luisenbarn itself.

Edwyn watched as a young servant made his rounds offering a cup of water filled from a large bucket he carried under his free arm. If his expression was any indication, Edwyn was jealous of that privilege despite his higher rank. It brought back memories of when he was a yearling. His father, Lord Ferdinand, would have him perform servant work. At first he had complained, but Ferdinand sat him down and pointed at a servant sweeping the stone courtyard of sand.

_"Look at him, Edwyn," _Ferdinand had said. _"You may think that all he is doing is sweeping sand from stone and may call it 'pointless'. However, if the sand is not swept away then it builds up and may hinder our house soldiers if an attack comes. It's not his fault that he was born a servant. After all, Fortuna spins and falls where it will despite one's rank. A borghese may rise to become a cavalieri or a cavalieri may become a borghese if Fortuna so spins it. It is only proper that those above look at those below with envy from time to time. We must remember that all blessings and all hardships are spun to us by Fortuna, the wheel that spins all things into existence, including the paths of our lives."_

Edwyn smiled at the memory of his father's words. Fortuna had blessed him; why shouldn't Fortuna spin the same for the young servant handing out cups of water?

He looked to where the God-King stood, talking with Machiavelli Carias again, as they looked over a map of the Holy Luisenbarn Empire. He always felt proud knowing that the Holy Luisenbarn Empire was the only nation in all of Hueco Mundo to have paved roads that ran throughout its domain, uniting outposts and fortresses with farming villages and quarries and mines. All roads, however, ultimately led to Luisenbarn.

He imagined many tribes calling them foolish for spending so much time and labor constantly reclaiming the highway from the sands. That only showed the other tribes' foolishness. Just as the God-Emperor, Baraggan Luisenbarn, had been master of this world, so did the Luisenbarnians prove their mastery by imposing their will over the sands of The Night.

The roads allowed them to build walls and buildings of actual stone rather than just sandstone and it allowed ore from the mines to be brought to the smiths to forge armor and weapons to support their Hierro and the weapons that sealed their Resurrección. It also allowed their armies to grow since even the weakest borghese could now fight for their God-King should the need arise. The roads united all Luisenbarnians to their God-King and his throne in the holy capital.

It had been a long time since Edwyn last looked on Luisenbarn with its broad walls and tall belfries. Sometimes he could hear the heavy brass and iron bells ringing to signal the hours carried on the wind. He could imagine the light shining out of the colored quartz windows and the majestic grace of the ornate flying buttresses of the Cattedrale dei Re. Once one had seen the majestic city of Luisenbarn, it left an impact that only a truly holy place could administer.

It was a city made for the gods, and fit for them to reside in.

"My Lord," a soft voice said.

Edwyn turned and saw Beatrice, his second wife and favorite mate, standing with her face down. He was pleased to see that she was wearing the dark green dress with gold embroidery running up the long sleeves that was his favorite. It matched her pale skin and dark red hair perfectly. She was holding something in her small hands that Edwyn could not make out.

"Beatrice, what ails you?" Edwyn asked.

"I…wanted to see you off," she replied hesitantly.

"Oh, well where are your fellow sister wives? Shouldn't they be here to see me off as well?" he asked. A single glance of the courtyard confirmed that the others were not present.

"They're preparing, but I wanted to be early so that I could give you something for luck."

She held out the object and Edwyn recognized the round disc with a smooth white gem in the center.

"Beatrice, I gave you this. Would you insult me by returning a gift?"

"My Lord, I…I'm sorry," she said and lowered her head again.

Edwyn sighed. He hated to see her troubled like this since it almost always resulted with tears running down her cheeks. He put his hands on her shoulder. He stood over her, the top of her head coming to the base of his neck.

"Beatrice, I just don't understand why you would give me something that I gave you. Please, help me understand your desire in this matter."

"Well, it's just that since you gave me this, Fortuna has spun in my favor and I wish for it to do the same for you."

Edwyn smiled as he took the disk.

"Then I shall accept it. I may need Fortuna to spin in my favor at Court so that I can return home when the God-King no longer requires my service."

Beatrice smiled and curtseyed. Edwyn bowed in response, allowing one horn on his forehead to brush at the mask fragment shaped like an ornate comb decorated with twin bone doves in flight on the left side of her scalp. She gently pushed his face away, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Not in front of his majesty," she whispered.

"Alright," Edwyn said. "Promise me that you'll help the stewards with whatever they need and look after the yearlings."

"I'll promise," she replied, "if you promise to return safely or send for me if you need me with you."

"I promise," Edwyn said.

"To make sure, I shall pray for your safe return."

Edwyn looked at her and then his eyes went to where the God-King stood, watching them. He looked back to his mate, his face serious.

"Make sure you pray to the right deity this time," he whispered. "Don't pray to that piece of stone for me."

"But the Gr—," she began and then stopped. Her eyes went to the God-King in understanding. "The Great Lord will permit his guards to watch you to ensure no harm shall fall upon you."

Edwyn hid his relief. He merely nodded in simple acceptance of her words. He tolerated Beatrice's conversion to that foreign religion, but he was certain that the God-King would not approve. If he was being honest with himself, he supposed that he did not approve that his favored mate forsook the ways of their people in such a way. But in this matter he could read her conviction, at the very least he knew that she was loyal to Benvolio as her king if not her god. He would make sure that he was not put in a situation where he must choose between his loyalty to his God-King or his love for Beatrice.

"Be sure to light a candle in the cappella for the journey," Edwyn said as he put the chain over his head.

"I shall, and I shall light another for your time in Luisenbarn," Beatrice said before withdrawing. He watched her walk away and saw his other two wives coming towards him. The younger of the two was anxious and distraught despite her best efforts, but the other was coolly composed.

He could tell that the chestnut brown-haired Rosaline, his third wife, was trying not to cry. She was always one to be led by her emotions. While her moods like this could be tiring she was truly illuminating in her typical happiness, making even trying circumstances more than bearable for his children and people.

Jillian, his first wife, on the other hand, was exact and polite. Her words were no more or less than what was needed. He knew her well enough to catch the small bits of advice and encouragement his green-haired wife with her luxurious waist-length mane conveyed. She was the ice to her sister wife's emotional fire. It could be easy to dislike her, until one needed to be cooled or required something steady.

He had married them as per the arrangements of the clan. He counted himself fortunate that he had come to care for all of them, and they in turn for him. But it was Beatrice who would always be the first in his thoughts.

He turned his attention back to Benvolio who had drawn his attention back to the map and was telling Machiavelli something.

Edwyn fingered the medallion hanging from its chain against his armored chest. He remembered the male Arrancar with the bull horns charging him, eyes black and hands and mouth stained with dried blood. The Arrancar was clad only in the tattered remains of a white uniform and was howling under the light of the moon as it kicked up the sands in a furious charge.

The Arrancar had gone wild.

To the Luisenbarnians, an Arrancar that went wild was considered to have been anointed by the moon and was therefore sacred.

While most faiths held that any sacred living creature was to be preserved, the Luisenbarnians believed that any Arrancar anointed by the moon was to be killed. This was done so that the Arrancar could ascend to the moon and make it a little fuller. It was said that when the moon was full then it would ignite and become the true sun of Hueco Mundo. The desert sands would blossom under its holy fire. When the white sands became green then the God-Emperor, Baraggan Luisenbarn, would return, robed in flesh, to rule over the People of the Mask once again.

Therefore, to slay such an Arrancar was deemed a noble deed and brought good fortune to the slayer. Any tokens from a wild Arrancar were believed by the Luisenbarnians to bring good luck and protection to those who possessed them. So he had taken the strange medallion to give it to Beatrice during the exchange of gifts at their wedding. It seemed to have worked for her.

"Lord Tuma," Machiavelli said.

"Are we nearly ready to depart?" Edwyn asked.

"Exacta," Machiavelli replied. "God-King Benvolio wishes for you to ride with him in the palanquin so that he can discuss matters of state with you on the journey."

"I thank his majesty for this honor," Edwyn said.

Machiavelli nodded and walked away from the nobleman, shouting orders to the other Guardia Reale who were helping to prepare things for the journey. Edwyn looked in the direction Beatrice went. She was gone from sight now. Rosaline and Jillian were making their way among the house guards who would be going as well, giving the soldiers bits of stone from the fort walls as good luck charms. He hoped that Fortuna would still spin in their favor by returning him to them when his duties were fulfilled.

When they had finished, Edwyn gave his final orders to the guardsmen who would remain behind. He knew that they would obey and would keep his family safe. He gestured for those who would be going to Luisenbarn to fall in line. As the soldiers lined either side of the caravan, Edwyn made his way to the palanquin. He stopped at the threshold for a moment.

He looked about the courtyard of Wind Song one last time and said a silent prayer that he would not be parted from it for long. Since he was not one for rambling prayers, the prayer was short.

When he was finished he took a deep breath and climbed into the palanquin.

_**Sanction**_

Persephone watched Isra sleep for a few moments before turning towards the entryway that led out of the bedchamber. She pulled the hide curtains embroidered with birds flying through a forest of vines together and made her way down the torch-lit corridor to her study. Once inside she pulled the dull brown hides together and lit the oil in the stone basins carved into the wall with her Reiatsu.

Persephone kept listening for any sounds of Isra, but she heard none. She was relieved. Isra had been through an ordeal and sleep was the best thing for her.

_She wasn't ready to undertake the Vision Quest,_ Persephone thought. _What was Freya's motive for goading her to go through with it? Was it truly to hurt me like father said?_

She didn't want to think of it. Regardless of Freya's motive, she was still her Queen and her kin. Persephone swore allegiance to the Shark Throne and she was a woman of her word. However, when the time was right, she would have words with Freya even though she feared that Freya would not listen.

She walked to one of the stone shelves that lined the wall. She retrieved the small cherry wood box that she used to keep her special treasures. She took another look at the doorway behind her, but the curtains were still shut. She walked to the stone desk and sat down before opening the box.

Persephone paused as she looked at the contents in the box. The object she wanted lay on top and she removed it. Persephone held the medallion in the palm of her hand. It was less grand than some of the artifacts and prizes in the box, but it was more intriguing than some items that would be mere trash if not for their sentimental value. Her thumb traced the gleaming disc and went over the smooth white stone at its center.

She remembered how Isra had clung on to it when she found her. Isra had been clutching it as though it was the most important thing in the world.

_"I must remember my name,"_ the girl had whispered.

Persephone hesitated before returning the medallion to its place among the other old trinkets she treasured since girlhood and her early days as a soldier. She knew that she should return it to Isra, but a part of her was afraid. She was afraid that the medallion would restore the girl's memories.

_Who knows what those memories are like? They could be good or they could be frightening. Memories can hurt like blades cutting through flesh and I don't want to see Isra get hurt._

At least that was what she kept telling herself. However, the real reason was more selfish than that.

_I'm afraid that if she remembers then she'll be lost to me. I'm afraid that my Isra will be swallowed by the lifetime of a stranger, and that stranger…_

No, she mustn't let that happen. Before Isra, Persephone had been alone. She had no one to look after or truly bond with. Her soldiers looked at her in awe, but she knew that she could never truly bond with them. They would expect too much of her to where she could not truly be vulnerable with any of them. Her kin looked at her with either disappointment or malicious calculation or indifference. Then Isra came along, and Persephone no longer felt like an outsider. She found someone who was like her: alone and afraid.

Persephone looked at the medallion again before placing it back into the box. She closed the lid and closed her eyes.

_**The Menos Forest, Three Years Before**_

_ Persephone looked out over the battle's aftermath in the depths of the Menos Forest. She had been sent here to protect the priestesses who came to gather the sacred herbs for the Vision Pits and had found herself facing an enemy that lurked in the shadows. She had the corpses brought into the perimeter for the forest was becoming rife with Hollows eager to consume Arrancar flesh. However, none of the corpses belonged to her foe. The Others never left their dead._

_ Persephone had seen much in her life: the horrors of the Sons, stray wretches from Octavia, and the terror of the Great Swarm. But every time that she came down to the Menos Forest was different for the Others mostly kept to the shadows and they kept their faces mostly covered. That made them far more frightening for they were unknown. One did not know from what direction the Others would attack. The only sign that they would make was to send one of their fighters out with hands clasped together as though in prayer. The only way to know if an attack was coming was if the fighter held out his right palm to display the seven-pointed sunburst that was branded into both palms._

_ When they did attack, the ever-calm warriors showed neither fear nor pain even as they died. They endlessly chanted their foul prayers or singing their hymns to a being that every Tribe, even the Primerans and Sons, recognized as the "False Sun." The Others worshiped the "False Sun" as a god and would praise him as they killed or died. The Others would either overwhelm their foe and left no trace or would simply fade away back into the depths like a passing storm. The struggle they had been through had been no exception._

_ "Damn it," Chani, her second-in-command, muttered. "I can't find the one I killed. I was hoping to take a souvenir to prove the deed."_

_ "You shouldn't have bothered looking," Persephone said. "The Others take their dead with them. How many did we lose?"_

_ "Five were spirited away or simply fled," Chani replied, "one priestess, two acolytes, and two warriors. Three of our warriors were killed."_

_ "I see," Persephone replied. "Gather the others. We need to get out of here before they decide to attack us again."_

_ "What makes you think they're still here? They fled back into the shadows."_

_ "Chani, the Others are still here. They're watching us. If we give pursuit then we may all die, and I have no intention of letting that happen."_

_ "As you command," Chani said and turned to where the other Warriors and the remaining priestesses and acolytes stood. "You heard the Commander. Gather what you can. We're getting out of here. You three," she pointed to three of the closest warriors, "gather our dead. If the Others won't leave us any of their dead then we won't leave them ours."_

_ They hurried, looking at the tall white trees around them and up to where the white branches tangled with each other, like the rib-vaulting inside a Gothic cathedral, to support the rock above. So far there was no sign of the Others. Persephone was not disappointed. The last thing she wanted was to get surrounded again by those demons. She doubted that they would be able to withstand another attack. However, one could never tell with those who attacked from the shadows and who only announced themselves with the beating drums, the sounding of war horns, and their blasphemous prayers and hymns. Sound echoed down here and trying to pinpoint its exact location was difficult to the untrained ear._

_ However, the Others had centuries to hone their skills at tracking prey in the Menos Forest. Persephone felt that they could easily pinpoint her location with just the beat of her heart or a single breath. The thought made her feel even more uneasy._

_ They had finished gathering the herbs and the corpses and were beginning to move when the drums began again._

_ BOOM-BOOM-BAH-BAH-BOOM!_

_ "The Drums!" one of the remaining priestesses shouted. "The Drums of the Underworld! Great Mother, save us!"_

_ "RUN!" Persephone shouted._

_ They ran. The drums were still far off, but that did not mean that the Others hadn't sent out fighters ahead to cut them off. Their only hope was to get to any opening leading back to the surface. The Others, for reasons she didn't know and despite the stories told to scare yearlings, would not go to the surface. None slowed for all were afraid of what would happen to them if they were captured. Persephone would sometimes slow enough to where she trailed to ensure that no one got left behind._

_ They only stopped when they reached the surface. Persephone brought up the rear and looked behind her. So far there were no signs of pursuit save for the drums that were now fading back into the depths from which they came._

_ Boom-boom-bah-bah-boom_

_ "Damn," Chani panted. "They weren't pursuing us were they?"_

_ "No," Persephone said. "They were merely escorting us out."_

_ "Oh, ha-ha-ha," Chani said and flipped the middle finger of her free hand at the tunnel opening. "They made a mockery of us."_

_ "Well, maybe they were giving us a chance to leave," one of the other warriors said. "I mean, they could have ambushed us anywhere along the way like they did before."_

_ Persephone nodded in agreement and looked out at the moonlit sands._

_ "Chani, find out where we are. That way we can figure where the nearest…" She trailed off when she saw the figure. "Nina," she turned to one of the remaining warriors, "hand me your spyglass."_

_ "Uh…yes Commander," Nina replied as she rifled through her bag and brought out a spyglass and handed it to her._

_ Persephone took it and looked through one end. She extended the looking glass until she could clearly see the figure._

_ "There's a girl out there," she whispered. "Chani, stay here until I return."_

_ "Commander," Chani said, "what if it's a trap?"_

_ "Chani, do you think that a mere trap is enough to finish me off?" Persephone asked, cocking one eyebrow._

_ "Of course not, Commander," Chani said. She then smiled. "I was just wondering that if it is a trap then can I come and play."_

_ "If you want," Persephone said, "but not until I give the signal." Persephone went into Sonído before Chani could say anything else._

_ When Persephone came out of the Sonído, still far enough from the figure to avoid an ambush, she opened her Pesquisa. The Reiatsu coming from the figure showed the last fading traces of Resurrección. However, there were no other signs of Reiatsu nearby._

Not a trap,_ she thought and frowned. _ Could she be a Rover or a Voider?

_ It was possible. Rovers and Voiders were known to wonder the desert, sometimes alone. There was only one way to find out._

_ Persephone went into another burst of Sonído and stopped in front of the figure. When Persephone saw the figure up close, pity filled her._

_ The girl was small and thin and looked to be starving. Her chin was covered with drying Arrancar blood. Tears ran from her eyes and her naked body was smeared with blood mixed with shimmering sweat. Her hair, which would become white, save for the black streak, was grey and was drenched with sweat. A sword dangled loosely in her weakening left hand and the right was clenching something that Persephone could not make out. Persephone could see that the girl was trying to keep standing, a fight that the girl was losing._

_ "N-n-no," the girl whispered. "G-get…get away."_

_ She tried to back away, but that was when her legs gave way. Persephone rushed forward and was able to catch the girl before she fell unconscious. The sword fell out of her hand and landed on the sand with a soft thud. The girl was panting and was whispering something. Persephone leaned closer to catch what she was saying._

_ "I…I must…remember…my name," the girl whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. She opened her blood-shot eyes and Persephone saw black streaks trying to come out of the violet irises._

Oh Great Mother,_ Persephone thought, _she's trying to fight against going wild.

_ Her eyes went to the modest chest and saw that the Hierro was cracked, blood seeping from where the Hierro cracked deep enough. Then Persephone looked back to the eyes and saw that there were no black streaks. Instead the violet eyes were so full of fear and loss and pain…and weariness. There was so much weariness in those eyes that it made Persephone ache to see it in one so young._

_ "It's alright," Persephone whispered as she held the young woman close. "It's alright now. No one will hurt you. I promise."_

_**Present**_

Persephone opened her eyes and leaned back in the chair. She sighed and got up from her chair. She wondered if some of the herbs that were used on Isra were the same that she had helped to gather so long ago. She thought that it didn't matter. She slid the curtains apart and looked down the hall. She opened her Pesquisa and could sense Isra's Reiatsu.

"Still asleep," she whispered and smiled.

She thought about when the girl woke in Persephone's private chambers at the outpost. The girl had been so different from when Persephone first encountered her. Aside from her hair being completely white save for that black streak, the girl had become little more than a grown child, exhausted and afraid. The girl could not remember anything, even her own name, and Persephone thought that was for the best. The fear that had been in her eyes was replaced with innocence and wonder and a loving trust.

She decided that she would give the Arrancar girl a second chance at life, starting with a new name. And, despite some difficulties, she had secured a good life for her new-found sister, better than whatever she had left behind with some tribe of Rovers that may not even exist anymore.

Persephone put the box away and extinguished the flames with another burst of Reiatsu. She walked back to where Isra slept. She pulled the blanket up and climbed into the sand bed. She laid-down next to Isra and put an arm around her.

"I'm here," she whispered. "I'm here to keep the bad dreams away."

Persephone felt Isra's breathing as she fell asleep.

_**Three Years Before**_

_She was frightened. The woman standing before her was a demon that she needed to destroy or else she would be killed. The memory of a trident being run through her brought a piercing pain to run through her body. She tried to raise the blade, but her body was becoming weak and it felt as though she was trying to lift a steel beam instead of a Zanpakuto._

_ "N-n-no," she whispered. "G-get…get away."_

_ She tried to back away, but that was when her legs gave way. As she fell, she thought that this was the end. Then she felt someone catching her. Through her fading vision she could barely see the woman's face leaning over her._

No, I…I failed,_ she thought as darkness came over her. Everything that happened to her over the course of her life began to fade as the power she had unleashed to escape death at the hands of those over whom she had been placed in command began to take control. She knew that there was only one way to ensure that she was not completely lost. She would have to retreat, but she must remember…_

_ "I…I must…remember…my name," she whispered as she sank into the dark ice that would protect her from the presence wanting to be made manifest. Her last thought before she became completely encased in the ice's cold and dark embrace was: _my name is Rukia.

**End of Chapter 10**

**A.N.: There you go. ISRA IS RUKIA!**

**So, how exactly did Rukia become Isra? That will be revealed further down the road.**

**The next few chapters are going to reveal some of the things that happened in the 200-year gap between the Winter War and when Rukia was put in charge of the expedition to Hueco Mundo along with getting back to Tatsuki and her group. **

**So don't fret, dear readers, much is about to be revealed.**

**One of the best parts of writing this novel is coming up with each tribal culture. The culture for the Triples is based almost entirely on cultures from the Bronze Age. The culture found at The Shrine is based more on a Mesopotamian theme. The Shrine itself was based on the ziggurat at Ur and the statue of Harribel at The Shrine was based on images of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. The Great Temple, however, is based on Ancient Mediterranean cultures (especially Greek and Egyptian). The look of the city of Sanction was inspired by a combination of Baghdad during the height of the Ottoman Empire and Babylon. **

**The Luisenbarnians are more based on Medieval and Renaissance Florence with a little bit of King's Landing from **_**A Song of Ice and Fire**_** and Ancient Rome (especially at its decline) thrown in for good measure. **

**If this novel was divided into segments then here's how it would go so far:**

**Prologue: The End of the Beginning**

**Part 1: Into the Black (Chapters 1-3)**

**Part 2: The Night Lands (Chapters 4-10)**

**Part 3: You Can't Go Home Again (Chapters 11-?)**

**I think that the title for the next segment is very appropriate. **

**Some songs that can be applied to this novel are: "Hanging On (Edit)" by Ellie Goulding, "Seven Devils" by Florence + the Machine, "Lost" by Within Temptation, and "Ancora Qui" by Ennio Morricone and Elisa Toffoli.**

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


	12. Chapter 11: Shattered Dreams

**Shattered Realms**

**By Eduard Kassel and MJLCoyoteStarrk**

**Chapter 11: Shattered Dreams**

**(Meditation 1: Loss)**

"_You can't go back home to your family, back home to your childhood…back home to the escapes of Time and Memory." –Thomas Wolfe, _You Can't Go Home Again

"Are you sure about this?" Ichigo yelled to Chad. The scene felt a bit nostalgic to his training under Kisuke Urahara. He found the feeling rather annoying.

The young Captain stood in the open space of Chad's underground training ground, clutching one of the specialized practice swords. He had kept his Gigai on as an additional handicap, but had removed his coat to reveal the black shirt he wore underneath. Chad looked down on him from his perch on top of a two story tall rock spire, not bothering to answer Ichigo. His expression was as stoic and unreadable as ever.

"Hey Ginger! Don't go acting like I'm not here!" Ophelia yelled.

The Goth stood about twenty yards from him. Her hands were balled into fists pointing to the ground. She reminded him of an angry girl pose from one of the anime shows that Karin used to watch. He would have snickered if he wasn't sure it would just piss her off more.

Ophelia had not changed out of her Goth Lolita dress, but was pulling on a pair of gauntlets of over-lapping steel plates over her forearms. The gauntlets were fingerless, covering the back of her hand with spikes running up the arm from the wrist. Ichigo thought that the gauntlets looked pretty badass, but he wasn't sure what kind of fighting she was going to use them for. He wondered if it would be like the Reiatsu enhanced martial arts that Yoruichi used. He supposed that he would find out soon enough.

"You do realize that talking to someone else isn't the same as acting like you aren't here, right?" Ichigo asked.

Ophelia actually snarled at him and rolled her eyes. He resisted the urge to smile and shake his head at her overreactions.

"Of course I know that, Dumbass," Ophelia muttered.

Ichigo couldn't help but be reminded of a long-deceased little blonde menace.

_Seriously, if she starts hitting me with her shoe then I'll have to find Shinji and let him know that Chad found Hiyori's reincarnation._

"Let's get this thing started already," Ophelia said. "I hate pre-fight speeches. Oh, and just so you know, Ginger, if you stop fighting to talk then I won't play along. I hate it when people do that crap," she said as she snapped the last gauntlet closed. She let out a breath and fell into a defensive stance with her arms raised in front of her face.

_Okay, so we're doing some kind of kickboxing now. I guess her armored arms are for defense and kicks will be her attack. She's not exactly in a practical outfit for that style though. Oh well, I suppose she could pull it off. In my time I've seen people fight in some of the most ridiculous outfits after all._

"This spar will continue until either party yields or I call the match," Chad said in his usual straight-forward manner.

Ichigo and Ophelia remained silent. They kept their focus on each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.

"Begin," Chad said raising a fist.

Ichigo let out a breath as he allowed his Reiatsu to flow through the Gigai. His Reiatsu felt thick and slow, like molasses in a straw, as it flowed through the gentei kaijo seal placed on him before coming here and the Gigai, but the power was there. He knew that any Kidō he performed would be severely weakened, but it would be powerful enough to counter any attack the girl before him would unleash. He looked at the practice sword and bolts of Reiatsu flowing through it. It was changing its form into the familiar long broad blade of Zangetsu. It felt reassuring hefting its familiar weight, even if it was just a physical copy formed by his Reiatsu.

Ophelia released her own Reiatsu in a sudden burst that made Ichigo grimace as a wave of nausea crashed over him. He didn't let her know how it affected him and focused his attention on her. He noticed that the gauntlets were turning from metallic grey to black. Roses suddenly seemed to blossom on each metal plate, blazing white hot. When his body had adjusted to her Reiatsu, he tentatively felt it. He realized that it had the nature of a Hollow lacing through the human Reiatsu.

_It's like my own._

With an inhuman leap, Ophelia closed the distance landing in a crouch. The force of the landing caused dust to rise around her. Before she could rise Ichigo rushed forward. He brought the sword down on her. It seemed as though she had made a poor move. She raised her left gauntlet, deflecting the sword with a ting and a burst of sparks as the blade struck the metal. Tendrils of white flame rose from the spikes and wrapped themselves about the blade. She smiled at him. Ichigo frowned not surprised that the Goth had tricks up her sleeves.

Her pigtails struck at Ichigo from the sides. Instincts let him reoil as the dark hair struck like vipers at his face. He pulled his blade free from the graspe of the tendrils of fire before going into Shunpo that carried him away from her. After he came out of Shunpo, Ichigo kept his eyes on Ophelia. She hadn't moved, but gazed at him, her teeth revealed in an ear-splitting grin.

He noticed that the tips of her pigtails were becoming white, and widening even as they split down the side. He blinked in surprise as the pigtails were transformed into a pair of serpent heads topped with two thick horns.

The twin snakes hissed at him, revealing long fangs that dripped with venom. The hairs compressed and hardened until it looked like white leathery horned vipers were growing from her head. As the change reached her head white ooze seeped from her scalp. Twin black horns, like the horns of a viper, grew from the white ooze just above her eyes. The ooze surged over her face and ears, covering most of her head in a blunt scaled mask that went from white to ashy grey as it hardened. The eye slits were the only thing left like a face beneath the horns. Her eyes morphed into twin fiery gold slits amidst a sea of black.

"Freaky isn't it? Are you stunned by the freak, Ginger? Well, let's see how you like her bite!" she snarled, her voice warped by the mouthless mask.

Ophelia vanished in a static of Sonído. Ichigo felt her Reiatsu reappear behind him. He dodged just as one of her braids struck at him, the viper's head biting down where his neck had been only a moment before.

"HEY!" he shouted. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?"

"No," Ophelia said, her voice a bit too innocent. "My babies, on the other hand…"

Ichigo's eyes widened at what happened next. Bolts of black Reiatsu seemed to flash from the horns on Ophelia's mask and into the vipers, giving them more life. He had never seen any of the Visoreds achieve anything like it. It made him wonder just how much of her Inner Hollow was in control over her and her over it.

"STOP DAYDREAMING, GINGER!"

Ichigo watched the braids grow dramatically as Ophelia's black Goth attire bleached white and all of her exposed skin became ashy grey and began to become covered in scales to match her face and hair.

Zangetsu caught the back of her hand. Sparks flew from the gauntlet as Ophelia came face to face with him. He had the gut feeling she was smirking at him from behind her mask of scales.

"Always keep a monster at arm's lengths, _tonto_," she hissed. Her golden eyes narrowed.

_Her arms are her defense,_ Ichigo recalled.

He pushed her back. One of her braids struck out at him and Ichigo dodged it. As it returned to its mistress, Ichigo managed to slice through it. No blood came out and Ichigo understood why as he watched the viper head turned back to mere hair drifting to the ground.

He didn't sense the other braid until it whipped around its ankles, tightening into a noose.

"Hey!" Ichigo yelled as he was hauled up into the air and slammed into the nearest rock formation.

The rocks shattered on his impact, kicking up dust and debris. Ophelia growled and caressed the severed tip of her braid while the other retreated from the dust cloud to float above the destruction. The severed end revealed that the braid's core was white bone.

"I didn't think those rocks would break apart like that," she whispered. "Just what is he made of?"

A new viper head sprouted from the core and the frayed hairs resealed the tip around its base. Ophelia stroked the new viper's head fondly with her gauntleted hand, but she kept her eyes on the dust cloud.

Ichigo burst through the swirling dust in shunpō, twisting through the cloud with the force of his passing. Ophelia smiled.

"Typical," she hissed and laughed.

Zangetsu halted mid-strike, nearly a centimeter from the girl's masked brow. Ichigo stood before her, suspended off the ground with his legs and arms arrested by her serpent braids before he could finish the strike. The vipers hissed at him, exposing their fangs before sinking them into the sides of his torso.

Ophelia snickered, but the sound failed as her golden eyes widened in confusion. Her black scaly mask cracked across her face. She let out a cry of pain as the mask burst off her face, blood erupted from her brow and nose. The vipers embedded in Ichigo's sides tore free, ripping flesh and drawing blood. The Captain's strength and speed helped him clear the flailing braids as they retracted around their mistress who had fallen onto her back clutching her face.

Ichigo noted the damage to the Gigai and hoped that Chad could patch it up. If Urahara saw the Gigai's state then he would want an explanation.

"Victory to Ichigo," Chad said.

He leapt down from his perch barely bending his knees on impact with the ground. The braids wrapped around Ophelia as she sat up. Ichigo looked at Ophelia and thought that it looked as though someone had tied her up, but she did not look distressed by the constriction.

_Is it her way of hugging herself for comfort?_

As he watched her mask grew back. Unlike the previous mask this one had a black line cutting through the scales from her widow's peak to between the eye slits like a scar.

"Arrogance defeated you, Ophelia," Chad said. "You stopped the sword but the force from his incomplete attack was still a strong blow. If you had raised a gauntlet over your face then it would have protected you. Your mask is hardly sufficient defense except against the weakest Zanpakuto. Have you learned more about your weaknesses from this?"

Ophelia nodded, looking at Chad's feet.

As Chad turned his back to Ophelia, Ichigo kept his eyes on the strange girl. The braids merged into one larger snake that started to sway in the air above her. It swelled further and became as thick as her head and turned from ashy grey to pure white. The mask's eye slits sealed shut and a new surge of ooze swallowed her dress and arms, covering her completely in a scaled shell. It was a strange sight as the kneeling woman was covered in the mask substance leaving a huge white snake to coil in on itself. If not for her Reiatsu being stable in its hybrid nature he would have been certain that she was succumbing to her Inner Hollow before his eyes.

"Is that normal?" Ichigo asked as Chad reached him. The stoic giant glanced back as if to verify that they were talking about the same thing.

"For her…yes.

"We call her spiritual state, 'Halves.' Halves are living humans with Hollow abilities that create physical transformations and alter their living physiology and anatomy. Like Hollows they tend to be animal based, and when they go 'Half Empty' they acquire more of the mental traits of the animal.

"Halves like Ophelia, however, their forms are…different. It's not just taking on the mental aspects of the animal, but also the physical. When she calms or that form burns enough Reiatsu, she will revert back to normal in both body and mind." Chad walked past Ichigo towards the exit.

"So…we leave her in a snake?" Ichigo asked glancing back at the lounging reptile.

"The snake is essentially her, so the question is not quite valid, Ichigo. This is something she does to cope and heal. She won't appreciate any comfort beyond what I just gave her right now," Chad said as though plucking the questions from Ichigo's mind. Ichigo followed him.

"Uh…you said that the changes are not just a power up transformation?" Ichgio asked. He looked back to the grumpy-looking snake watching him go.

"Yeah, her pigtails conceal thin prehensile tails that she always has. Thankfully, it's the most dramatic change I've encountered. Most can pass it off as something or other," Chad said as he scratched his beard.

"I hope that it's linked to power. Other than you or a Quincy, I never expected to get that kind of a fight out of the living again. The fight only ended so quickly because she messed up," Ichigo said as he joined his old friend in walking towards the ladder.

"Hmm. Still, I'm impressed. If she had not been so quick and that blow had landed… You've gotten better at reading other people's abilities, Ichigo. Being a Captain has made you sharper," Chad remarked.

Ichigo paused for a moment. He hadn't realized what he almost did. He had planned for that blow to land even as he realized it would likely be blocked. He had assumed that it wasn't as strong as it had been.

_Would it have killed her? Would Chad have realized that I had miscalculated and intervened in time?_

The thought made Ichigo worry. A Captain needed to know their strength. Even Kenpachi made sure of that, even if it was for the wrong reasons. Ichigo looked down at Zangetsu and saw that it had reverted back into a practice sword.

Yet that still didn't change how he felt. It felt as though Zangetsu was heavier than ever before. And he wondered yet again if he really was worthy of the white Haori that was waiting for him when he was no longer on leave.

_Warriors don't necessarily make good leaders_, he had often thought when he was offered the post of Captain. He wondered if he made the right decision.

_**Karakura Town**_

Yoruichi Shihoin sat across from Kisuke who took another sip of tea. She picked up her china tea cup while taking another finger sandwich with the two remaining fingers of her right hand. She put her cup down and wiped the corner of Kisuke's scarred face with her napkin.

"You're drooling again," she said.

"What do you expect when I'm sitting across from a beautiful woman?" he asked. She smiled and shook her head.

"You're hopeless."

Kisuke looked at the remnant of Yoruichi's right hand. He supposed that she was lucky that Aizen decided to leave her with the hand's thumb and forefinger.

"Have you had any phantom pains lately?" he asked.

"No, but sometimes my left foot itches."

"Even after all of these years, your body still can't get used to not having any actual feet."

"I know, and the new synthetic feet don't work as well for me. 'Queen of Flash' indeed."

"Come on, I'm sure that you can still beat me in a foot race."

"Just like in the old days," Yoruichi said with a smile. Her smile dropped and she sighed. "Aizen really fucked us over, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but we both got off easy." Kisuke and Yoruichi sipped at their tea.

"Even though Aizen's dead he can't truly be forgotten. I hate that he can intrude on our lives like this even after all of this time. I guess he got what he wanted: immortality," Yoruichi said. "Even if it's just his name being cursed by old foes or stories told by mothers to scare their children. 'Don't do that or else Aizen will come get you.' Tch…it's rather sickening that his name's been reduced to that of the bogeyman."

Kisuke didn't say anything. He understood where Yoruichi was coming from, but there were more important matters to discuss than the dead.

"So, is Shinji still at his last location?"

"Nah, he moved to New Londinium. I guess he likes the party scene there more than in Paris."

"I suppose. I'll make sure to see if I can pay him a visit before he decides to move again."

_**Mexico**_

Ichigo waited in the small living room. The holo-screen was turned on to the news, showing a line of Restored American tanks, each decorated with an eagle wreathed in flames, at the Independent Republic of Texas border. A line of Texan tanks, decorated with the lone star, were ready to fire if the American tanks moved.

"They're still staring each other down," Chad muttered as he entered the living room. He held a small glass of tequila to Ichigo as the image changed to an anchorwoman clad in a plum-colored sitting behind a news desk. "I thought that you could use something a little stronger than tea."

"Thanks," Ichigo said as he accepted the glass. He looked back at the screen. "How long have they been like that?"

"Ten years. It could be war tomorrow or just as easily another decade of posturing and saber rattling."

Ichigo took a sip of tequila and grimaced. The alcohol stung his throat as it went down and he could feel a buzz starting to come.

"That's strong," he said as he set the glass on the table.

"Glad you like it," Chad said. He picked up the holo-screen control and turned it off.

They sat in silence for a moment before Ichigo sighed.

"I saw Orihime," he said.

"I know."

"She's…she's just not the same as she used to be. I know with all the time that's passed she would change, but still... I mean, for a moment, at the beginning, I thought it was the same Orihime despite that, but then…" Ichigo shook his head. "I knew that what happened that day changed her, but… I just never thought that Aizen's fall would break her like that. I just…"

"It wasn't what happened that day that made her break," Chad said.

"What?"

Chad looked at Ichigo and stood.

"I have something to show you," he said.

Ichigo followed Chad to his home office. The office itself was small and neat. The computer pad on the desk was turned off. A small cactus sat on the edge of the desk. The bare spaces of the walls were decorated with photos of desert landscapes. Chad went to the bookshelf and ran his eyes over the titles. Ichigo looked at the photos and saw one of a sea of white sand under a crescent moon.

"That's Hueco Mundo," he said.

"No," Chad said as he brought out a hard cover between a copy of _Ficciones_ and _Cien años de soledad_. "That's White Sands in what used to be New Mexico."

"Right," Ichigo said. He looked at the book and his eyes widened. It was _Der Aufstieg und Fall der Quincy_ by Uryu Ishida.

"Uryu wrote this? Our Uryu?"

"Yeah," Chad said. "He gave this to me shortly before his death."

"I haven't seen him around, but…you would know that wouldn't you?"

"It was his request to not be reborn into the Soul Society. Rukia respected his request."

"Rukia? Why wasn't I told? She should have told me."

"I guess he didn't want you to be there and she didn't want to upset you. Open it."

"Wait, how does a book about the Quincy explain why Orihime is the way she is?"

"Open it to the title page."

Ichigo did as Chad said and looked at the photo tucked away in the book. It showed a man with reddish hair in a 49er's jacket, three children, and a woman. The eldest child, a girl with red hair, looked as though she would rather be somewhere else. The second child had dark hair and a tan complexion with the barest hint of a smile. The youngest, an albino girl, was smiling a broad grin under a straw hat. He looked at the woman with her arms around the man, smiling, and recognized her.

"Is…is that…Orihime?"

Chad nodded.

"Then that means that the others are her…"

"They were her family," Chad said.

"Wait, Orihime had a family? I had no idea. Hold on..you said 'were'."

"They lived in Los Angeles."

Ichigo looked at Chad, his brow furrowed in thought. Chad could see that Ichigo was having a hard time connecting the dots.

_I suppose he never learned how to think things through,_ Chad thought.

"I still don't get it. What happened?"

"The Fourth of July, 2026," Chad said.

"Wait, are you telling me that…?" Ichigo looked at the photo and his eyes widened in comprehension.

_**Denver, Zone 2, Restored America**_

Orihime Inoue made her way through the crowds of revelers preparing to celebrate the end of Patriot Week. She decided to go against her child's guise and looked more like her original form than usual. She looked like a thirty-something buxom blonde woman wearing a respectable if not stand-out outfit of khaki pants with a shirt of subdued "patriotism". Despite the looks she was drawing from most of the men and some of the women she passed she felt even more like a ghost than usual.

_The world has moved on and yet much of my soul has not,_ she observed with the resignation that had long gathered dust.

She looked at the flags being waved. Most were the flags of Restored America: a bald eagle, wreathed in flames, in the center of a pentagon formed by five gold stars on a black field. Others were waving the old stars and stripes of pre-downfall America. Orihime felt a wave of nostalgia on seeing the old flag of red, white, and blue that had been replaced with gold, black, and red.

The "Blackshirts" of the Voluntary Militia of Public Security were out in force, cold eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of civil disobedience. The insult that the name "Blackshirt" had been intended had faded over the decades as the state-sanctioned thugs made it their own and made sure that it was a name to be feared once again. Their expandable batons were out and ready to take down any who was likely to cause trouble. The squad commanders were marked by the gold eagle pins on their black berets and the collars of their uniform jackets as well as the riot pistols at their side that would unleash a non-lethal charge when fired. This had long since ceased to be a land where the trappings of tyranny were hidden with more than a token effort. It depressed Orihime to see how such things as night raids and seeing the Blackshirts patrol the streets day and night had become matters of normalcy to the people.

She was not surprised to see that the VMPS and NSF, National Security Force, recruiters were also out in greater numbers than usual. Patriot Week was the best time of the year to sign up new recruits after all. They were setting up posters showing men clad in black and silver uniforms marching with the flag of Restored America waving in the background. Each proclaiming: "CITIZENSHIP IS NOT A RIGHT: IT'S A PRIVILEGE. JOIN YOUR LOCAL MILITIA TODAY."

Orihime grimaced at the posers. Her adopted country was gone, killed long ago. What these people claimed to have resurrected they had merely desecrated.

As she looked away from the wall her eyes went to a large mural. It showed The General looking out over ruins of New York City. The charred remains of the broken Statue of Liberty was in the foreground with rays of sunlight breaking through the grey storm clouds. The caption was stark and to the point: "KEEP WATCH AND NEVER FORGET THE FOURTH OF JULY."

_How could I forget? It was the day I realized that it was futile to try to live a normal life,_ Orihime thought with a touch of anger. It was as though the poster or the man it depicted were addressing her personally instead of the entire nation.

She thought that she had gotten over her life before July 4, 2026, but Ichigo's visit had stirred so many memories and emotions that it caused a maelstrom to rise. Those internal winds had unearthed feelings that she had thought cast off but had simply been buried, waiting to emerge once more.

_What was I thinking letting Ichigo find me? I swore that I would have nothing more to do with the Soul Society, and he's a part of it now. Our time as friends is ancient history, a mere few years in lifetimes spanning centuries. So why did I let the stranger from the past disturb my present?_

Orihime clenched her hand into a fist and could feel the nails biting into her palm trying to draw blood. She closed her cat-like green eyes and inhaled. Her mind cleared.

_I let him find me because I missed him,_ she thought. _I wanted to see him again. I thought that there might still be a chance that he could be mine, and that my eternity would not have to be a lonely journey. Just another fantasy that I thought I had outgrown. I should have realized that, like all my other hopes, it was futile._

_Ulquiorra was right. There is no point to cling to hope._

Orihime continued her way through the crowd as it made its way to the specified viewing areas for the March of Patriots. The throng was a collection of individuals becoming a single mass, united in patriotic fervor. She looked at them with disgust.

_What good little sheep these descendants of America are: obeying instructions barked by the wolves in their midst._

Advertisements floated in the air, her childhood's sci-fi wonder brought to life as a glorified tool for televised propaganda. Images of men, women, and even children clad in the uniforms of the Militia and NSF were telling the crowd, "I AM A CITIZEN." Then came the floating image of a young girl clad in the military fatigues of a cadet and with a blank expression on her face asking, "ARE YOU?" Then came the recruiting logo: "SERVICE IS CITIZENSHIP" surrounding an eagle wreathed by a laurel of olive branches with two hands joined in a handshake where the laurels met, the official emblem of the Department of Citizen-Civilian Relations.

It was a sight worthy of a Philip K. Dick novel.

"Just what we need, another crappy recruiting video," Orihime muttered, making sure that none of the Blackshirts could hear. They could not actually threaten her, but it would be annoying to have to deal with an incident and be blacklisted.

The recruiting video was now replaced with projections of National Security Forces marching down the central street of Steadfast, which had once been Milwaukee. The uniforms of black and silver were designed to impress and radiate a sense of military prowess. The officer uniforms of white and gold were designed to befit their high social rank.

The crowds cheered as fireworks began to be launched into the night sky, signaling the beginning of the March of Patriots. The sound of "Yankee Doodle" began as three people: a young boy who looked to be twelve, an old man, and a middle-aged man were spotted leading a procession of men dressed in the blue and white uniforms of the American Revolution came marching down the street. The boy and the old man were playing drums strapped around the back of their necks while the middle aged man played the fife. Behind them Old Glory fluttered in an artificial wind, displaying its thirteen stars and stripes proudly.

_Shit, it's the "Spirit of '76" come to life,_ Orihime thought.

A war that was proudly heralded as a grand revolt against tyranny in the name of democracy and freedom was turned into a piece of pageantry for a dictator and his followers. The joke was so stale that she could neither find it amusing or worth getting annoyed at any more.

Orihime knew that after the men clad in the uniforms of the American Revolution and the War of 1812 passed it would be men clad in the Union Blue of the Second Revolution, formerly the Civil War, marching to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". Then there would be members of the National Defense Force allotted to don the uniforms of the other major wars that America took part in: the Great World War of 1914 to 1945, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars. After them was the main force, some dressed in the black and purple of Pax Americana and the majority clad in the black and silver of the Third Revolution.

"CITIZENS AND CIVILIANS, PLEASE RESPECT THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!" a voice blared from the loudspeakers.

The crowd put their right hands over their hearts before holding them out in the Bellamy salute as the tune of the "Chant du Départ" sounded and the image of The General, dressed in his black and gold uniform covered with military decorations, standing in front of the Capitol and saluting the passing soldiers in Steadfast floated in the night sky. It was time for the citizens clad in black and silver to make their appearance.

They came like a dark river, their silver lining were like the froth of the waves. The people around her cheered and clapped. Some held out their personal copies of The General's "Black Book", the manifesto that he wrote while in exile in Canada titled _Our Strife: Re-Forging America_. Some even chanted "USA, USA, USA," and Orihime wondered how that mindless chant managed to survive a century of chaos and warring city-states.

As she watched the river of black and silver uniforms pass she allowed herself to be swept away in the currents that run through the river of memory.

_**Las Noches, The Winter War**_

_ Orihime watched in surprise as Ulquiorra made his way out of the prison that Grimmjow forced_ _him into through Caja Negación. Grimmjow said that Ulquiorra would only be imprisoned for a few hours before he could free himself, but she had thought that he would come out from where he had been imprisoned, not in the Throne Room._

_ Ulquiorra's poison-green eyes fell on her. He turned and walked in her direction. Orihime did her best to resist the urge to retreat from him. She wanted to show him that she was not afraid of him, but her body stiffened, betraying her fear. He obviously noticed._

_ "Are you afraid, Little Girl?" he asked in his monotonous tone. Orihime did not answer. Her heart beat faster in her chest and she had to swallow the spit that had built up in her mouth. "Lord Aizen no longer has any need for you. You no longer have any protection from harm. It's over. You will die here, alone, with no one by your side. I want to know." Ulquiorra was now standing in front of her, looking into her eyes with his cold gaze, as though piercing her very soul. "Are you afraid, Little Girl?"_

Am I afraid?_ The question raced through Orihime's mind. She didn't know how to respond to that. In some ways she was afraid. She was afraid for herself and for her friends who had been through the fire because she had come here. She thought that she was keeping them safe, but instead they had rushed into greater danger. Rukia and Chad had nearly been killed and Ichigo…_

Why? Why did you come to save me? You should have just stayed in Karakura Town? I came here to keep you safe. Why must you insist on playing the hero when I don't want you to?

_ She could not understand why she was feeling this animosity towards Ichigo. She loved Ichigo. She had dreamed of him coming to her rescue. Why should Ichigo riding in like her knight in shining armor to rescue her fill her with such rancor?_

It's because I didn't need him to rescue me,_ she thought. _He got himself killed for my sake, and I never wanted that to happen. I don't need someone to die for me, especially when I made the choice to come here myself.

_ She returned Ulquiorra's gaze. He had told her that she should hate her friends for coming here only to be slaughtered, and she would deny him how she really thought. If she told him, then Ulquiorra would consider it a victory and she would deny him the satisfaction. Instead, she would listen to her heart. Her heart told her that she wanted Ichigo to risk his life for her because it meant that he did love her on some level. That was all that really mattered to her. If she was to be victorious over Ulquiorra then she would have to be honest with herself._

_ "I'm not afraid."_

_ Ulquiorra's eyes widened slightly. He was obviously surprised by her answer. Orihime felt renewed strength and courage rise in her to where she had to resist the urge to smile._

_ "My friends will come and save me. My heart is already with them."_

_ Ulquiorra didn't say anything, and Orihime thought that she had won._

_ "Nonsense," Ulquiorra said. "Do you honestly believe that your friends can save you?"_

_ "I do. When I first heard they came to save me, I felt…"_

_ She paused as she remembered Ulquiorra coming into her room to let her know. She realized that her rancor had come from the harm that her friends suffered at the hands of the Arrancars. Yet that had not been her initial emotion. What she had felt at first was how she truly felt._

I must be honest with myself.

_ "I felt a little happy…but I felt terribly sad too. I came here so that they wouldn't get hurt. Why did they come? Don't they understand I wanted to keep them safe?_

_ "Then…when I felt Rukia fall and when I saw Ichigo fight, I realized that I was wrong. I didn't just want Ichigo to be safe. I just wanted everybody to be safe. When I realized that, I understood why they did it. They feel the same way that I do. If any of my friends disappeared then I would do whatever it took to get them back."_

_ Ulquiorra looked at her and shook his head._

_ "Friends," he whispered. "What good are they? It may be true that they will move heaven and earth to ensure your safety now. However, there will come a time when you may need them only to find that they will not be there. There will come a time when you can rely on no one but yourself. In the end, friends will always betray you. The sooner you realize that the easier the pain will be to bear when it comes."_

_ "You're wrong," Orihime said, fear rising again. "Friends never abandon each other. They're always there when you need support. Their coming here proves it. They are the best friends I could ever hope for._

_ "Maybe I don't feel exactly the way they do, but I do believe that it's possible to care for others and to put your heart in sync with their own. To me that's what it means to have one heart."_

_ "'Heart'? I find it intriguing that you humans use that word as though it was nothing more than something that you could hold in the palm of your hand." He raised his pale left hand and brought it over his left eye. "My eyes see everything. There is nothing that can hide from my gaze. I always believed that what cannot be perceived by the senses does not exist." He lowered his left hand back to his side._

_ "You use the term 'Heart,' but what do you mean by that?" He held out his right hand and pointed at Orihime's chest. "If I was to tear open your chest, would I see something other than the physical muscle that keeps you alive by pumping blood throughout your body?" He raised his hand to the level of her eyes. "Perhaps I would see this 'Heart' if I were to crush your skull."_

_ Orihime's eyes widened. She knew that Ulquiorra had the power over her life and death in his hands._

Please,_ she thought. _Please, Ichigo, save me.

_ The floor beneath them began to quake and Orihime thought that her prayer had been answered. She could feel the tremendous Spiritual Pressure coming towards them and recognized it. Ulquiorra's eyes widened in surprise._

_ Then he came, bursting through the floor. Ichigo had come to save her as she knew he would._

_ Yet, the day that Ulquiorra's words proved to be correct came when annihilation rushed towards her and there was no one to save her but herself._

_**Denver, Zone 2**_

Orihime brought herself out of the memory. The black and silver river was nearing the end, or perhaps it was a serpent of humanity. Orihime shivered when she saw the trucks coming. There were about fifteen trucks, each piled high with books, works of art, statues, and other items that were deemed to be "Un-Patriotic" by the Committee for a Stronger Society. A line of civilian volunteers followed holding torches and banners high. Each wore a white armband with the CSS's emblem: a golden torch with a golden eagle wreathed in flames at the top surrounded by the words, "Pura Fortis Societas". The head of the Committee's Denver branch rode in the lead truck, waving to the crowds with a smile on her narrow face. Orihime was glad not to be able to see into her eyes otherwise she was afraid that she would see the fires of patriotic fanaticism burning in them.

_Once upon a time, we had a love affair with fire._ A shudder ran up her spine at the thought.

She watched as the trucks continued to their final destination: Memorial Square in front of the capitol building. The images floating in the air showed Memorial Plaza, surrounded by a sea of people, many holding torches and others were waiting with contraband materials at hand. She saw other projected images from various celebrations showing CSS trucks laden with contraband with lines of volunteers following, prepared to feed the flames. Their steps merged with the patriotic marching songs, a choreography fit for a society gone insane.

When the last trucks reached the center of Memorial Plaza, the images projected for the crowd changed. The holo-screens showed The General, standing in front of Restored America's flag flanked by the upside down American flag with five stars in the blue field that the Pax Americana Party used to his left and Old Glory to his right. He was clad in a crisp black uniform with gold trim. Gold eagles were pinned on his lapels.

His once chiseled face was beginning to sag with heavy jowls and she could tell that his muscles were beginning to turn to fat. His once black hair was mostly grey. Despite the betrayal of age, he still maintained an aura of authority that seemed to radiate from the holo-screen. His cold grey eyes seemed to stare directly into a person's soul in judgment.

"TONIGHT," his image began. "WE REMEMBER THE PATRIOTS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE HOPES OF RESTORING THE ONCE GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WE REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE THEY MADE ON THE ALTAR OF LIBERTY. WE REMEMBER THE BLOOD SPILLED TO UNLEASH THE SHACKLES PUT ON US BY THE PAX AMERICANA OLIGARCHY.

"WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER THE FIRES THAT DEVOURED THE OLD UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WE REMEMBER THE ONCE GREAT CITIES OF BOSTON, PHILADELPHIA, WASHINGTON D.C., CHICAGO, DETROIT, DALLAS, HOUSTON, LAS VEGAS, SEATTLE, PORTLAND, SAN FRANCISCO, AND LOS ANGELES. THE IMPERIAL LAUREL OF THAT ONCE GREAT NATION BECAME NOTHING BUT ASHES THAT WERE BLOWN AWAY IN THE WINDS OF CHAOS.

"WHAS JULY FOURTH, 2026 A TRAGEDY? WAS IT A DEATH KNELL FOR OUR ONCE GREAT NATION THAT BECAME WEAK FROM THE INFESTATION OF ARROGANCE AND GLUTTONY AND GREED AND COMPLACENCY?"

The General paused and then raised a fist.

"IT WAS NOT!

"IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REGAIN THE MIGHT THAT WE LOST IN THE DECADES OF DECADENCE AND IMMORALITY. IT WAS THE FORGE IN WHICH THE IRON IS MADE STRONGER. IT WAS THE FIRE NECESSARY TO DESTROY THE WEAKNESS THAT SEEPED INTO OUR ONCE GREAT NATION.

"MY FELLOW PATRIOTS, WE HAVE EMERGED FROM THAT FIRE STRONGER AND MORE PURE THAN BEFORE.

"WE HAVE BECOME THE IRON FIST THAT OUR FOREFATHERS WANTED US TO BECOME. HOWEVER, IRON CAN RUST. AND SO WE OFFER TO THE CLEANSING FIRES THE IMPURITIES THAT WOULD CORRUPT OUR NATION.

"WE CLEANSE OURSELVES OF IMMORALITY. WE CLEANSE OURSELVES OF ANY IDEOLOGY THAT WOULD DARE SUBVERT WHO WE ARE AND OUR GREATNESS. WE CLEANSE OURSELVES OF ALL WEAKNESS. WE CLEANSE OURSELVES WITH FIRE.

"LET THE CLEANSING BEGIN!"

The crowd cheered as the pounding of drums and the blaring of trumpets came in a marching song. Soldiers and citizens came forward with lit torches. The contraband materials that were once piled in the back of trucks were being piled in the center of the plaza.

Books explaining the system of Social-Capitalism, a hybrid merging the strengths of Socialism and Capitalism into a single economic and political system, were thrown on top of paintings displaying Restored America in a negative light or the Eurasian Confederation and Imperial Commonwealth in a favorable light. Statues of the Buddha were thrown onto the pile with copies of the writings of Confucius and Karl Marx. Pages were torn out of the holy texts deemed to be "Un-American" by the CSS: the _Bhagavad-Gita_, the _Quran_, the philosophies of Mao Tze and Laozi and Nietzsche, the scientific writings of Darwin and Dawkins and Sagan, and any other texts that would be seen as causing people to question The General's regime or the religious right's firm hold on social morality.

George Orwell would burn alongside Ayn Rand. The works of theists would feed the same fires as those by atheists. Works of liberals and conservatives and middle-of-the-road authors, political and economic theorists, and artists would become undistinguishable of one another as they were kissed and embraced by the flames.

When the materials were gathered into the center and the torches surrounded it, then came the greatest abomination. The sound of "Give Me a Clean Heart" came over the loudspeakers. Some in the crowd began to sing along, but the majority didn't. Instead they began to chant, "Burn, burn, burn, burn."

When the torches touched the pile, Orihime closed her eyes. She didn't want to see the flames rise to devour those beautiful things that were deemed ugly by this militaristic and self-righteous society. It would bring back too many memories. It would remind her of the smell of charring flesh and burning houses as bands of marauders like the Army of Excellence or the Iron Cross Brigade or God's Children went on their rampage across a scarred land. It would remind her of Karakura Town burning and Aizen's laughter as he and his followers wrought destruction.

Yet, none of those memories was the worst. The worst was her memory of July 4, 2026. It was the day when she lost the last fragments of hope for living an ordinary life away from the Soul Society's grasp.

A cheer erupted and Orihime knew that the flames were beginning to devour that which was deemed "abnormal" in this façade of American society. Someone jostled her from behind and she staggered forward. She didn't know how her eyes became open, but she found herself looking at the holo-screen.

Flames. All was the feeding fire, purifying America while destroying it. A nation that had a love affair with fire was destined to be consumed by it. America was always a nation obsessed with fire, whether they recognized it for what it was or not.

"Burn, burn, burn," the crowd chanted.

Orihime found herself looking into the flames. Her life had been filled with fire. It had forged her from a girl filled with hopes and dreams to what she was now. Her life was a wasteland of shattered dreams with nothing living except the all-consuming fire fueled by memory.

_Burn…_

_Burn…_

_Burn…_

_**Karakura Town, The Second Aizen War**_

Orihime looked in horror at the aftermath of Isshin's attack. Urahara's shop and the buildings around it were reduced to piles of rubble due to the force of the Kido. Isshin looked with wide eyes at the figure still standing among the ruins as his Reishi became too unstable to sustain his spiritual body. Particles of decaying Reishi began to fall away, floating in the wind like ashes.

"No," Isshin whispered, unable to believe what he was seeing.

He had used the most powerful of all Hado techniques, Kami no Sōgi Kasō. Kisuke had warned him about the consequences about using it. Kami no Sōgi Kasō required a great amount of Reiatsu to be effective that it caused the caster's Reishi to become unstable to the point that it would turn on itself. As a result, it was recognized as a death sentence for those who performed it as well as a death sentence for the first spiritual entity it touched. Isshin had been willing to make that sacrifice if it meant keeping his two remaining children safe.

Yet, it failed. The Hogyoku embedded in Aizen's chest had cast a spiritual shield that took the full strength of the Hado.

"Such a shame," Aizen said in his silky voice. His eyes glittered with maniacal glee. "It appears that your sacrifice was for naught."

Isshin fell to his knees. The ashes of destroyed Reishi fell away in greater amounts.

"I'm…sorry…Masaki," Isshin whispered. He lowered his head in shame and the ashes of Reishi fell like dark snow to the ground. "I…failed."

Soon there was nothing left of Isshin Kurosaki, save for the dark ashes of Reishi that blew away in the wind. Orihime struggled to get up, but she was still weak from the Kido's blast wave.

Aizen looked around, taking in the devestation around him. He looked to where Kisuke leaned against the remains of a concrete wall, still holding to Benehime's hilt, the remnants of the shattered blade glittered in the flames on the ground. The right side of Urahara's face had been burned to the point that it would never truly heal. Aizen heard someone struggling for breath. He turned and smiled.

Ichigo Kurosaki lay on the ground, his body convulsing as though he was having a severe seizure. His hands clawed at his chest and throat as though desperate for breath. His eyes were wide and looked to be near to falling out of their sockets. Zangetsu lay forgotten beside him.

"Oh, well hello again, Ichigo Kurosaki," Aizen said. "I didn't realize that you were here until now. It's such a shame that your father isn't here to see you like this." Aizen licked his lips with his blackened tongue. "I see that, once again, you failed to heed the advice of your betters. You decided to rush into battle, thinking that you could take me out with a side attack. Too bad that you got caught in that blast without anything to shield you."

Aizen approached Ichigo who was as helpless as a fish out of water. He put one dirty and blood-stained foot on Ichigo's chest. Aizen leaned in close and released a small amount of Reiatsu. Ichigo recoiled, his convulsions became even greater. Ichigo turned his head and vomited. The sight made Aizen sneer in disgust.

"Pathetic," he snarled. "I knew that you would never be able to defeat me in fair combat, but seeing you like this is just sad." He looked towards Urahara and smiled. "Tut, tut, tut, Kisuke Urahara, I'm so disappointed in you. You put too much faith in this boy and now he's completely useless to you. Will you cast him aside as you've done before?"

"Ichigo," Orihime whispered.

"Ah well, I suppose the time has come…" Aizen began. Orihime watched in horror as two slits formed in the skin above and below the Hogyoku, which was now blazing with a great white light. The flesh rippled before opening into a great mouth that ran from Aizen's throat to his waist. The Hogyoku hung suspended by cords of muscle. Muscular tentacles writhed in the mough and Orihime saw that each tentacle ended in a clawed hand. "…to claim you for my own, Ichigo Kurosaki."

The tentacles rushed out of the mouth in Aizen's torso. They wrapped themselves around Ichigo's convulsing body. The hands dug their talons deep into Ichigo, drawing blood. They lifted him in the air and began to drag him into the gaping mouth.

Aizen then noticed a beam of light rushing towards the tentacles. He watched in surprise as the tentacles were severed, black blood gushed from the maimed tentacles as they rushed back into Aizen's body to regenerate. Ichigo fell to the ground with a thud.

Raising an eyebrow Aizen turned to follow the beam of light as it returned to its source. The mouth bisecting his torso closed leaving only a seam as evidence of its existence. He then noticed Orihime lying on the ground with one hand stretched out. Tsubaki returned to its hairpin.

"Oh…Miss Inoue," Aizen said, clearly pleased. "I'm surprised to see that you're still here. I was afraid that you may have run away. I thank you for saving me the trouble of having to look for you."

"Aizen," Orihime gasped as she struggled to her feet.

She felt rage build within her. She looked around at the bodies littering the ground. She turned to Urahara, still leaning against the concrete wall, who looked as though he would faint at any minute. Tessai moaned in agony on the ground, his left arm and leg looked as though the bones had been completely shattered. Ururu wept as she shook Jinta's body as though hoping she could wake him up despite the gaping hole in his chest. Then Orihime saw that Tatsuki was trying to move. She returned her attention to Aizen.

"Why?" she asked. "Why are you glad to see that I'm still here?"

"I suppose that you have a right to know," Aizen said. He looked at Ichigo. "You and Ichigo Kurosaki were my back-up plan in case I was unable to create the Oken."

"Back-up plan?" Orihime asked. "Back-up plan to what?"

"To complete my perfection," Aizen said. "Did you really think that I wasn't involved with the events that helped shape you and Ichigo into the people you are today? The two of you have the aspects that I shaped you to personify. Urahara helped in the process, hoping that it would backfire on me.

"Alas, yet again my intellect surpasses that of my mentor and creator." Aizen looked over to Kisuke who looked at Orihime in fear and shame.

"Ichigo has indeed come to personify the violent passion and destruction that corrupted his mother when she underwent Hollowfication. As such, once he has become one with me then that aspect of me will be complete. Instead of being my destroyer, he shall become my strength.

"Likewise, you have long since become what I meant you to be. Like my female Espada you possess great power that is hindered by Altruism. However, what was a bad habit for them is your life-defining vice. You are preservation and regeneration. You are a force that can only react and seek a return to similarity and docility. You are the perfect balance to Ichigo in me.

"The three of us will form a new trinity that will create an even greater God. Together, we can reshape all of the worlds in our image. We can end all pain and suffering. We can ensure that the living can be reunited with their loved ones, never to be separated again. Together, we can make all dreams and wishes come true. All that you have to do is submit to me.

"If you do then I will make your dreams a part of my own. I will spare the few survivors in this town so that they will witness…"

"No," Orihime said.

"What was that?" Aizen asked.

"I said, 'No'. I will not submit to you."

"Oh, but you will," Aizen said. "Don't you understand that I've already won?"

"You haven't won," Orihime said.

Aizen sighed and looked at her as though he was looking at a small child.

"Is that so? Tell me, who is the hero who will save the day? Isshin? You must have seen him destroy himself in an attempt to destroy me only to fail and while still stained with his own daughter's abolished soul. The Gotei? They're burning in a plague of their own might thanks to my followers and my Bankai. Urahara? He's hours from being in any shape to fight. Ichigo? He's unable to do anything but act like a fish out of water. You?" Aizen's smile widened and he walked towards her. "Come now, Little Girl, it's time to stop pretending. We both know that the only thing that you're good for is healing and screaming for your dear Ichigo to come and save you. You're helpless without your friends.

"We both know that you can't fight any more than Ichigo can resist fighting. You are what I made you to be. How do you think your powers awoke? It was when you willingly allowed your own brother to attack you in order to save Ichigo. But who sent the Hollows to turn your brother into one of their ilk? I did. I knew that it would take you being attacked by someone who truly loved you and whom you loved in return to awaken your potential.

"You could defeat a Hollow as long as you were ignorant that a person was under the mask. You showed that when you defeated Numb Chandelier. But even faced with a weak savage like Yammy, you couldn't draw a drop of blood; not even to defend your dearest friends."

Orihime listened. She felt confused, unable to truly comprehend what Aizen was telling her.

_Don't try to understand it,_ a voice whispered in her mind. She recognized that voice.

_Tsubaki? What are you…?_

_ Shut up and listen, girl,_ Tsubaki said. _He's only partially right. You're mostly focused on healing and protecting, but if that's all there is to you then why am I here? Why am I as much a part of you as the others? My job is to destroy while theirs' is to protect and heal._

_ I don't…I don't know._

_ If you truly wish to unleash me then you must come to understand why I am here._

Orihime thought about it. She looked around at the destruction that Aizen had caused and engineered to satisfy his own vengeance. She felt rage rise in her and she understood.

_Even flowers can kill. All I have to do is want to kill._

She focused on her rage, allowing it to blossom in her like some poisonous flower. She would have to turn despair and grief into pure hatred, into an uncompromising desire to kill. She focused on Aizen, directing all of her hate at him. She felt tears trickle down her cheeks. Never before had she felt so much hatred and she never realized just how much it hurt.

"I know you better than you know yourself, Orihime Inoue," Aizen continued. "You will always suffer and try to hold on to any fleeting shards of happiness even as they cut you. However, if you submit then I will grant you the bliss of nirvana by becoming an unaware component of the new God of all realms.

"What do you say?" Aizen asked and held out a hand towards her. "Do you wish to become one with God? Do you wish to come home, where you belong?"

Weeping, Orihime met his eyes. Aizen's smile slipped.

"Your hands are drenched with blood, so much blood," Orihime said. "I don't know who it started with. I don't care if you were born to rule out of some misguided arrogance of Urahara san. I don't even care if the Throne of Heaven is empty or if God is just a rotting corpse. Any being that should shed so much blood and not regret it…. It's better for there to be no god than have a god that doesn't weep for the blood it has spilled.

"So, no, Aizen, I will not become 'One with God' if that God is you."

Aizen bared his teeth at her.

"This grows tedious," he said. "You will become one with me." The mouth bisecting his torso opened again. The tentacles writhed out of it, the hands opening and closing with eagerness. "Now, time to sleep."

The tentacles shot out at her. Orihime raised her hands to the side of her head.

"Santen Kesshun, I Reject!" she shouted.

Three beams of light flew out in front of her, forming a shield of gold light. The hands of the tentacles collided with the shield and began to scratch at it, trying to get at her. Aizen released a pulse of Reiatsu into the tentacles, but the shield held.

"It's stronger than before," he noted with a small scowl. "That's impossible."

"You're right," Orihime said. "I am weak. I couldn't kill to save my own life or even my friends' lives knowing that I was going to kill a person. That's why I'm not you. I regret what you have done enough for the both of us. I know that you will be even worse if you ever sit on the Throne of the Gods.

"I may have been able to forgive Ulquiorra. I may have even been able to forgive that Hollow that hurt Tatsuki. But I will never forgive you. You are the only one whom I will never regret killing."

"You…kill me?" Aizen asked, shocked by her words. Then he laughed. "Oh, you stupid little girl, you can't kill me. I'm omnipotent! I'm immortal! I'M GOD!"

"That's where you're wrong," Orihime said. Aizen fell silent. "You're not immortal. The only thing that is keeping you alive is the Hogyoku. In exchange for prolonging your life and keeping you from destruction, it's taking something far more important away from you. It's eating your humanity.

"I suppose I could forgive you if you didn't realize what it was doing, but you did. You knew what you would be giving up and you still chose the Hogyoku. That's why I can never forgive you."

Orihime held up the palms of her hands out in front of her. She focused all of her hatred into her hands.

"Little Girl," Aizen said. His condescending smile and tone of voice made it seem as though he was reprimanding a small child. "That won't do any good."

The tentacles began to sway, waiting for her to let the shield down.

"I reject you, now and always, Souske Aizen," Orihime said.

Her shield of Reishi went down and Tsuabiki flew from her hair pin, but this time the golden light that normally followed in its wake was not there. This time, Tsubaki was followed by pure darkness.

"Do you really think that little gnat will do anything? If it couldn't do anything against Yammy then it surely won't do…"

Tsubaki cut through the tentacles, and Aizen screamed in pain. He watched in horror as the severed parts of the tentacles vanished in tendrils of black mist.

"NOOO!" Aizen shouted. He beat at the fairy with his left hand. Tsubaki cut through his wrist. Aizen screamed as his severed hand vanished in an explosion of black mist. Never before had he encountered such destruction to his very being and it frightened him. He grabbed the bleeding stump and watched Tsubaki. When he saw that Tsubaki trailed darkness in his wake, Aizen understood. He looked at Orihime in horror.

"That's the Nothingness," he said. "How is it possible? How can you be cutting the very fabric of creation itself?"

Orihime looked at him, hatred blazed in her eyes as Tsubaki flew in circles in front of her outstretched palms.

"I didn't truly understand my powers until now. Tsubaki was an enigma to me because he destroyed what he touched. Then I remembered about what you said when I went to Hueco Mundo. You said that my powers could defy Divine Law."

Aizen suddenly remembered.

"I only said that to give Ulquiorra a reason for having fetched you. He did what I commanded, but I knew that he would eventually wish an explanation," Aizen said.

"You may have said it as a lie, but it was the truth," Orihime said. "You only focused on Ichigo because you felt that his destructive and violent nature would be useful to you. However, you ignored me because you saw me as weak. Your mouth wouldn't have absorbed me. It would have destroyed me."

"NO! You would have been absorbed into me. You would become one with…"

"NO MORE LIES, AIZEN!" Orihime shouted. "There's no room for mercy in you, only destruction. Your big mouth told me that much. 'I'm omnipotent,' you said, and omnipotence has no room for weakness."

Aizen looked at his hand, expecting it to regenerate. Instead, he only looked at bleeding stump.

"I always wondered what you meant by 'Divine Law.' Now, I do. I can bring death with life setting the very cycle of souls in reverse. You are immortal, but I can reject the very idea of you existing in the first place. However, I know that there's one thing more dangerous than you. It's the root of all this horror." Her focus went to the Hogyoku. "That will be the thing that I will reject."

"NOOOOOO!" Aizen shouted. He backed away, the mouth closing, but the Hogyoku was still vulnerable. He poured his Reiatsu into it and the Hogyoku began to blaze.

"Tsubaki," Orihime said. Her voice was barely audible and Aizen became even more afraid. "…negate."

With joyous laughter Tsubaki surged forth cleaving reality in his wake.

"NO! I HAVE COME TOO FAR TO BE STOPPED BY A WORTHLESS BITCH WHO PINES FOR FOOLS!" Aizen screamed. He dodged Tsubaki and watched as it returned to its starting position. "I will not let a weak bitch get the best of me," he snarled. He saw Tsubaki coming at him again.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed. He leaned down, letting Tsubaki fly over him, feeling the coldness of the Nothingness before creation reaffirmed itself. He grabbed Tatsuki by the nape of her neck with his remaining hand. Tatsuki moaned as he lifted her in the air in front of him like a shield.

"CALL IT OFF!" Aizen shrieked. "CALL IT OFF!"

Tatsuki's eyes opened and she saw Orihime. She saw the hate burning in her eyes. She wasn't fully aware of what was going on.

"Or—i—hime?" Tatsuki moaned.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Aizen screamed as Tsubaki burst its way through Tatsuki's chest.

Tsubaki struck the Hogyoku's shield with such force that Aizen was sent flying backwards. Tatsuki slipped from the would-be god's grip, falling limply to the burning ground, her punctured plus rolled clear just as the corpse caught fire. The Chain of Fate was partially broken from Tsubaki's devastating blow.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Aizen screamed as Tsubaki continued to try to penetrate the Hogyoku's shield. "IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Despite Aizen's animal cries, despite Tatsuki's corpse lying right in front of her, despite Ichigo's renewed convulsions, Orihime kept her focus on Tsubaki. The Hogyoku was fighting back, trying to reaffirm its shield to drive away the Nothingness. It did not want to be destroyed. It was taking Aizen's Reiatsu for itself, draining him of his very essence, to protect its very existence. Tsubaki continued to push against the shield, slowly penetrating it. Threads of Nothingness seeped into the shield to negate its existence. The Hogyoku pushed back, sending Aizen into the air as though he was nothing but a marionette on strings.

There was a cracking sound coming from the Hogyoku as it pushed the boundaries of how much it could take. The amount of power it had used to resist Isshin's final Hado proved to be too much. The shield of Reiatsu shattered and Tsubaki crashed into the Hogyoku.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Aizen screamed as the Hogyoku shattered.

He watched as the shards from the shattered Hogyoku vanished into black mist. Black blood burst from Aizen's chest. The area where the Hogyoku had been was now starting to crumble away like drying sand from a sand castle.

Tsubaki flew back to Orihime and returned to its position. She fell to her knees weakened from the effort it took for her to destroy the Hogyoku. She looked up and saw Tatsuki's plus, lying on the ground.

"No," she whispered. "No…no…no…TATSUKI!" she screamed. She scrambled to where Tatsuki lay and put her hands on the plus. "TATSUKI!" she screamed again. Tears flowed from her as realization of what she had done began to sink in.

Kisuke staggered towards her and looked at Aizen's dying body. Tears came to his eyes and he lowered his face.

"It is finished," he whispered.

"IT'S NOT FINISHED!" Aizen shouted.

With a wary sigh, Urahara turned away from the wounded and approached the fallen foe. He saw that, aside from the gaping hole where the Hogyoku had been, Aizen's skin was taking on the sickly greenish-yellow hue that new corpses usually took on.

"This is not her oblivion! Her rejection only destroyed my prize, but not me! I CAN ENDURE THIS!" Aizen cried as he pressed his withering right hand to his chest.

Urahara looked down on Aizen. His eyes were filled with sorrow.

"No, you can't, Souske," Urahara said. Aizen looked up at him, eyes wide with confusion, anger, and fear.

"Orihime was right. You sacrificed your humanity to the Hogyoku. You traded the very pillars of your soul for gaining stronger Reiatsu and greater abilities. You linked yourself to the Hogyoku to where it still fed you despite being removed from your possession. Now it's gone, as though it had never existed, and you gave too much of yourself to its hunger. You are now more empty than even the most miserable Hollow," Urahara said. His voice was calm, but there was also a hint of sadness.

"But my Reiatsu," Aizen began and then noticed that his remaining hand no longer had any real shape to it. His eyes widened and he looked at Urahara. "No…this…this can't be happening. My Reiatsu is strong enough to preserve me, even without the Hogyoku. Why isn't it?"

"It was something that even I didn't think was possible," Urahara said. "The Hogyoku became selfish in the end. It took more than it had even given you in order to survive. As a result you became a spiritual negative, an imaginary number whose existence cannot be verified."

"No," Aizen snarled. "That can't be. Why am I not dissipating in vapor?"

"The reason is that your very negative existence is being ground into less than dust by the very weight of positive existence around you. It is as inevitable as two plus negative three equaling negative one.

"I am sorry that I made you, Aizen. I am sorry for your own sake as well as for everyone else. Most of all, I am sorry that you are the one who is paying the price for my sin of trying to play god," Urahara said. Even though his words were mournful, Urahara's eyes remained dry as Aizen began to collapse into the hole in his being.

"NO!" Aizen shouted. I am the Übermensch! I am the one destined to be God! I blurred the lines of existence! I escaped the pit and deceived the gods of death into their own destruction! I endured destruction personified! My work isn't over yet! I will return! When I do…

"…I WILL BECOME GOD AS YOU INTENDED, KISUKE URAHARA!" Aizen screamed as his being crumbled into dust.

"Goodbye, Souske Aizen," Urahara said. "There are none left who will miss you, but I will mourn what you could have been."

Aizen looked at Kisuke and realized that Urahara was telling the truth. He was becoming nothing. Desperation gripped Aizen as his body continued to be devoured by the Nothingness where the Hogyoku had been.

"NOOO! HELP ME! FATHER!" Aizen begged before vanishing into himself.

Thus it was that nothing remained of the man who would shatter the realms to become God over the ruins of his dream.

_Burn…_

_Burn…_

_Burn…_

_**Los Angeles, July 4, 2026**_

The alarm clock "blarked" near her head. She called the noise that the clock made "blark" because there was no other word that could quite capture the annoying persistence of the sound. Eyes still closed she reached up to the head board and smacked the snooze button.

As she snuggled back down into the bed she felt something warm press into her. Smiling, Orihime opened her eyes and lifted the blanket off her, revealing her plaid night gown. Snuggling against her side was a little girl with snow white hair.

"Morning Rachel," she said. The girl twisted her head and revealed a sleepy red eye. She knew that the albino's eyes were off-putting to most even if they didn't admit it. Orihime, however, found the red eyes adorable, like everything else about the child. That included the Hollow-laced Reiatsu that leaked from the girl.

Deciding to get up after all, she threw the blanket aside and sat up. Rachel groaned in protest, but didn't struggle as the young woman picked her up.

"Come on, it's a big day and we'd better get started," she told the child. She kicked her door open and walked into the hallway. She found that one of the best things about having non-sliding doors was the variety of ways she could kick them open.

With the albino girl well in hand, Orihime stopped by a door with a sign hanging on it. The sign only had a single word on it: "Mom" with a red X over it. It had been a happy day for her when that sign had gone up.

"Alice!" Orihime called as she kicked the door twice. "It's time to get up!"

"Go away!" the recently minted teen girl on the other side shouted back.

"Okay! But if you're not up before the toast is ready then I'll send Rachel in with the bucket!" Orihime called in her sing-song voice.

Covering the little girl's ears against the profanity that came pouring through the door was merely a formality. Profanity was just too common in this house for such things to really be of any use. Leaving her other adopted daughter to whatever passed for her morning rituals, Orihime continued to the kitchen.

The kitchen was, by far, her favorite room in the house. Lined with counters and cupboards that only broke for a window, the refrigerator, and doors, it was paradise for the culinary storage and innovation. The nice wooden table was already set for four and the island was already occupied as her son saw to breakfast.

"Oh, you're already up," Sean said as he looked up from his work. He only met his adoptive mother's eyes briefly before returning to the dishes he was working on. He was dark-haired with a solid tan. She could tell that he was shaping up to be a very handsome young man. She hoped the strange feeling of sadness and happiness at the thought was normal.

"No need to worry," Orihime assured him. "How could you plan for me getting up this early?"

Sean nodded in acceptance of the reassurance, but did not look up.

Orihime pulled up a stool and placed Rachel on it. She let the girl kneel on top of it and rest her hands on the counter. Orihime retrieved the toaster from its dark lair and then set out four jars of her home-made jam. By the time she got the bread Rachel was holding one of the jars. Orihime picked it up and smiled.

"Ah! Nutmeg and blueberry jam with sauerkraut juice, an excellent choice," she said and rubbed the little girl's white hair. "Be sure to spread extra on mine."

Leaving Rachel to stare at the working toaster, Orihime took her seat at the table that Sean marked with the daily newspaper. She wished that she could help, but it would only make her son more anxious.

She opened the newspaper and saw that the headlines were dominated by the dire financial and political situations in Eastern Europe as members of the various neo-Fascist and neo-Marxist extremist movements continued to bomb the Western European and Chinese businesses who were moving in. She oddly thought that it was almost nice that the sorrows of a part of the world that wasn't one of the usual suspects were being broadcasted.

_Giving those people a break, eh?_

Before her odd logic could continue her eyes fell on news about the Fourth of July celebrations.

For the past month it had been all that anyone could talk about. These celebrations would be the biggest in American History and for good reason. This Fourth of July would mark the 250th anniversary of the passing of the Declaration of Independence.

_Fireworks! They're going to be the biggest ever!_

She always loved watching fireworks. There had been a time when fireworks were the Japanese festivals' main draw for her. But having lived in America for years now, and adopted American children, she felt that this country was as much home as Japan was. She had come here for a fresh start after all.

While it was sad for the old ties to fade over the years, she had formed new ones. She had made friends with many of her co-workers and neighbors. She found a place that she could call "home" and a purpose both professionally and as an amateur matriarch.

There was only one thing missing to make her dreams of a new life complete. However, a little birdy, or rather a curious look in a pocket told her that might change tonight.

"Big smile," Rachel said.

Orihime blinked. The smile on her face slid away as she wondered how long she had been in her head. She looked at Rachel who sitting to her right with a plate with two pieces of burnt toast covered in something that looked like tar.

"Big day," Orihime said and ruffled the stoic child's hair.

"Bucket?" the calm girl asked as the edges of her lips began to curl into a smile.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Alice screamed as she burst into the kitchen, almost causing Sean to drop the bowl of cereal he was carrying. Orihime saw that the freckled red head must have nodded off, again. Her usually smooth hair resembled a bird's nest and she wore only an oversized Los Angeles Angels T-shirt.

"Indoor voice, please," Orihime chided as she lifted a finger.

"Oh please, if I got quiet there would be no sound in this place," Alice said as she rolled her eyes before sitting down at her spot across from Orihime.

"Hmm, that would be a nice change of pace," Orihime said before biting into a piece of toast.

After they finished breakfast, Sean took the plates and bowls to the sink.

"Alice, I want you to be ready by the time I get dressed," Orihime said to the retreating girl. "And that doesn't mean going back to sleep."

The door to Alice's room slammed shut.

"Bucket?" Rachel asked, looking up at her mother. Orihime smiled down at the albino girl.

"Only if your sister isn't ready by the time I get dressed."

Rachel nodded and Orihime made her way back to the master bedroom. She closed the door behind her and went to the master bath. She found it nice to have her own private bathroom, complete with a large bathtub and a shower stall, that she didn't have to share with the children, especially Alice.

She shut the door behind her and locked it before making her way to the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror for a while, running a hand through her dark-orange hair. She thought about dying it, but decided against it. Her hair was one of the things that she could not change to bring herself to change. She supposed she would never change it.

She opened one of the drawers and took out the hairpins. It had been a long time since she wore them and she doubted that the Shun-Shun Rikka would respond to her. She was an adult now and all of the movies and books said that adults could rarely access the magic they had in their younger days. However, she would wear them today. Today was going to be the day when the last bridge connecting her old life with her new would be burned.

_I'll give them to Alice tomorrow. And that will be that._

She decided that she would take a bath instead of her usual morning shower. It was not only a way to treat herself but it would give Alice a little more time to get ready.

After filling the tub with warm water and the liquid for a bubble bath she shed her clothes and looked down at herself. Her figure was more modest, and hopefully more motherly than her old friends would expect. Only Charles had ever seen her like that, and being the stoic gentleman he had been for as long as she had known him, he didn't say anything. Perhaps that was why she truly let him connect with her however rarely and purely professionally. He asked little and expected little back. That made him safer than any of the others at the Institute.

An odd sense of curiosity came to her as she looked in the mirror. She put the hairpins in her hair and focused. The old glow came over her as she assumed what she would have looked like had nature took its course. She wore this form for some cases, but she had never seen what she would have looked like naked in it. She felt as though she was a nymph looking at what may have been. She sighed.

"Poor Chizuru would have died. But then that is why…" she didn't say any more. Instead she let the form of her own choosing resume. Once she returned to the mask she normally wore she took the pins out of her hair and put them on the counter.

She got in the tub, letting herself sink into the warm water. Once the warm water helped to relax her muscles she went to scrubbing herself.

She was not ashamed of the beauty she had once been, but she had altered her appearance to start a new life. She didn't want people to be distracted from her by her physical appearance and so had decided that a more average appearance would be the way to go.

She picked up the rubber frog from its place in the soap holder and looked at it.

"Ribbit! Why so morbid?" she asked herself through the bath toy, a habit from her childhood that she never truly got over. She also had a classic rubber ducky, but this was more of her frog's territory. The real name she had given the toy frog was Taira Winchester Ali Montasria Jr., but that was such a mouthful for her. So, she had decided to just call him "Froggy".

"I'm not being morbid, Froggy. I'm reminiscing," Orihime said.

"Ribbit! That's one and the same to you. If you have to look back why not see the good times? Just because they ended doesn't make them any less meaningful," she said through the toy.

"Damn, you have such a way of cutting to the quick. I suppose it's just nerves. I mean…I mean it just changes everything. I won't have to wonder what might have been and really commit to a course in life," Orihime started to explain.

"Ribbit! More than adopting three children you knew no one else wanted? You were terrified that you wouldn't be good enough for them since you have your own issues. You had to pull a lot of strings to get them. Despite your doubts, they seem to be doing well. Ribbit!

"Ribbit! So why does a ring weigh more on you?"

_**July 1**_

"That was…well, I never had a meal like that," Charles Westlake said as he looked at the left-over spaghetti with chocolate-tomato sauce.

"I'm glad that you liked it," Orihime said as she reached for his plate.

"No, I'll take care of it," Charles said as he stood and took Orihime's plate. "You fixed the meal, so it's my job to clean." Orihime smiled.

She first met Charles Westlake after her first month at the Institute of Spiritual Services. He was part of the team whose job was to go out and look for children who had the potential to become spiritually aware. Orihime was surprise how after the Second Aizen War, more people were becoming spiritually aware, especially in America. She had met him when she decided that she wanted to adopt.

He was the one who helped her get custody of Alice and Rachel. Charles hadn't been directly involved with getting her custody of Sean, but he had at least given the file to her and made sure that his assistant helped her. Even though they didn't work in the same department, they would sometimes meet for lunch and talk. While at work they made sure that it was purely professional, but then they started meeting outside work.

At the beginning, Orihime was afraid that he would make demands of her or he would do something that would hurt her. However, he didn't do anything or asked her to do anything that would make her uncomfortable. Instead, he focused on what she wanted. She remembered how that made her feel. For the first time, since the destruction of Karakura Town, she was truly happy.

"Earth to Hime. Come in, Orihime."

"Oh…sorry," Orihime said. "Did you say something?"

"Well, I was asking if you and the kids wanted to meet me downtown for the Fourth of July. We could spend the day together if you wanted."

"Oh…yes…yes that would be nice."

Charles smiled and picked up the last plate.

"I didn't see the kids around. Are they out?"

"Rachel's having her first sleep-over at a friend's house. Alice and Sean are going to be coming back from the camp in Tahoe tomorrow and I'll just pick them up at the Institute."

"Well, it's good to hear that they're being proactive," Charles said as he cleared off the last plate and put it in the dishwasher. "I've heard from most of the other child advocates that children who are likely to be spiritually aware have a hard time engaging in social interaction."

"Sean's that way," Orihime said.

"I'm not surprised. Young men seem to have a more difficult time adapting to the awareness and there's only so much that a single parent can do for them."

Orihime looked at Charles and could tell that he was holding something back.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Well, there's…there's something…uh…never mind," Charles said. "We can discuss it more when we get together for the Fourth."

"Oh." Orihime got up. "Are you going to be leaving or would you like to stay a bit longer?"

"I better get going. I got drafted to help with filing the latest paperwork and it needs to get done before the Fourth."

"I'll get your jacket."

Orihime went to the closet and took out the San Francisco 49ers' jacket that Charles liked to wear, regardless of the temperature outside. As she reached for it she noticed a bulge in one of the pockets. She looked around to make sure that Charles wasn't close enough to see.

She reached in and pulled out a small black box. Her heart began pounding faster as she opened it. She gasped when she saw the diamond ring inside and smiled.

_**July 4**_

A loud banging at the bedroom door stirred Orihime from her reverie. Blinking in the lukewarm water she looked in the direction of the bedroom door. Alice shouted through the door even while pounding on it again.

"MOM! CHARLE'S HERE! DID YOU DROWN IN THE TUB OR SOMETHING!?"

"Yes, and your mother's ghost is telling you that it's rude to pound on doors!" Orihime called back.

"AND IT'S NOT RUDE TO TELL ME TO HURRY UP AND GET DRESSED, WHILE YOU SIT THERE MARINATING WHILE EVERYONE ELSE'S WAITING?" Alice retorted.

"…It was an accident!" Orihime answered.

"Whatever. I want to get there before it's too crowded. I want the guys to see how hot I am and trip into each other," Alice called before walking off. Orihime stepped out of the tub and pulled the plug.

"I really thought I was past zoning out like that," she sighed. When the children entered her life it had been Alice's role to zone out. The girl would get in her lap or lean against her while her mind was years and a continent away. Sometimes her mind was a dimension away.

_It did get better though,_ Orihime assured herself as she hastily dried off and went into her bedroom. She wasn't surprised to see Rachel, already dressed in jeans with a long-sleeved _Berserk_ T-shirt and gloves on, sitting on her bed with her outfit of choice laid out next to her. Her hands were folded in her lap and she looked up at her mother with a smile on her face.

Orihime was used to her daughter's lack of respect for others' modesty. She looked at the dress in her nude state and nodded in approval. She went to her dresser and pulled out a drawer. She gave a toothy smile as she pulled out a pair of black panties that she had been saving for a special occasion. It was true that he wouldn't know she was wearing them when he proposed, but she would know.

_ And knowledge is power!_

_**Downtown Los Angeles, July 4, 2026**_

Orihime was glad that she and her family were able to come to downtown Los Agneles to witness the Fourth of July Parade, which was promised to be one of the biggest celebrations in the United States. The large screens lining the streets showed celebrations from America's "Father Cities": Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D. C., and New York City. Orihime looked at them briefly.

"I hope that people will behave this year," Charles said. "The last thing we need is for too many drunk people on the roads."

"It'll just be the same as last year," Alice said.

"She's right," Orihime said. "People drink a lot when they're celebrating. Who knows, maybe I might get a little drunk myself."

Orihime gave a sly wink and Charles blushed. He ran a hand through his red hair and the other into his jacket's pocket. Orihime knew that he was touching the small box. She understood that he was debating on exactly when he would bring it out and open it while kneeling in front of her. Would he do it during the fireworks or would he hold off until after they made love? She hoped he would decide on the former. That would be more romantic.

"Mommy, Mommy," Rachel said, tugging on her skirt.

Orihime looked down and smiled. She couldn't see her daughter's red eyes or white hair due to the sunglasses and the sun hat she wore, but she knew that her daughter was excited about something.

"What is it, Rachel?"

"Ice cream, ice cream," the albino girl said and pointed down the street with a gloved hand.

Orihime smiled when she saw the Ben & Jerry's sign.

"Smart girl," Charles said. "Ice cream is the thing to have on a hot day. Orihime, do you mind if I…?"

"No, go ahead," Orihime said.

"Alright, Sean, come on," Charles said to Sean who was watching one of the screens showing a group of old people dressed in tri-cornered hats and bonnets with tea bags hanging down from them and waving yellow flags with the "Don't Treat on Me" snake, a remnant of a long-defunct political movement.

"Okay," Sean said as he turned away from the screen. His eyes kept darting around and Orihime knew that he was feeling uncomfortable being around so many people.

Orihime looked at a line of public pay phones lining the base of one of Los Angeles's many towers.

"Hey, are you coming?" Charles asked.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a moment. I just want to make a phone call first," she said.

"Alright," Charles said. "I'll have your Chunky Monkey ready for you when you're ready."

"Hmmm, my favorite," Orihime said, smiling.

"Especially when it's in a chocolate-covered waffle bowl with sprinkles," Charles said.

"Even better," Orihime said. She felt her mouth start to water.

"All right. Just don't be too long. You wouldn't want it to become soup."

"I won't be long," Orihime said.

She watched as Charles and her adopted children walk to the Ben & Jerry's shop and walk inside. She sighed and walked to the payphone. She took out her billfold and took out her credit card. She picked up the receiver and pressed the START button that flashed on the main screen and swiped her card through the reader.

She looked at the options that were displayed on the screen and pressed INTERNATIONAL. She looked through the list of nations serviced by the Global Communications Network and selected JAPAN. When prompted she entered the number that she retrieved from her memory. She closed her eyes and listened to the ringing on the other end, picturing the front counter and shelves filled with various merchandise. Then she heard the sound of someone picking up the phone.

"Hello, Urahara Shoten, how may I help you?"

"Hello Tessai," Orihime said, smiling at hearing a familiar voice. "Is Kisuke or Yoruichi there?"

There was a pause.

"Miss Inoue, is that you?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's me. I know that it's been a long time, but…" She felt herself starting to tear-up from the memories that Tessai's voice brought up.

"Yes, it has been a long time, and I know that Kisuke and Yoruichi have been worried about you since he last saw you."

Orihime felt tears come to her eyes. The last time she talked to either Kisuke or Yoruichi was shortly after the Second Aizen War ended. She remembered how they agreed to keep certain facts hidden behind a wall of lies. She was the one who insisted that it be that way.

"Well, I called because there's something I want to tell them. So, are they in?"

"I'm sorry, but they're not here right now. I believe that Urahara is away on business for the Soul Society and Yoruichi is running an errand in Thailand."

"Oh, that's too bad. Do you know when they'll be back?"

"I can't say for sure. But, I can take your message and make sure that the first to get back knows that you called."

"Thanks, but…you know, I'll just call later. Do you think either one will be back in a week?"

"I would think so," Tessai said. There was another pause and then Tessai asked, "Is everything alright, Miss Inoue?"

"Yeah," Orihime said. "Everything's fine."

"That's good to hear. I'll make sure that the boss knows that you called."

"Thanks," Orihime said and hung up.

She let out her breath and looked around her. Horns blared as Los Angeles traffic crept forward at a crawl. People were waving American flags and sparklers while laughing. The street preachers were out in force, holding up Bibles and giving warnings about "The Great Whore of Babylon" and "God bombs". Bottle rockets were being launched from the roofs the apartment buildings.

_A screaming comes across the sky,_ she thought as she listened to the small rockets.

She jumped at the sound of bang snaps being set off by a group of hollering high school students. She noticed that some of the students were more than two sails to the wind with beer already. She chuckled at their antics and made her way to the Ben & Jerry's.

She saw something out of the corner of her eye and stopped. She turned her head and a shudder ran up her spine when she saw the black-clad figure standing on top of a street light. The figure was tall with shortly-cropped black hair. A few other people saw the figure and paused to look before shaking their heads and walking away. But Orihime could only look, her eyes wide at the Soul Reaper.

The figure looked around and then took out a cell phone that Orihime knew to be a soul pager. She watched the Soul Reaper with curiosity as he said something into the soul pager. She couldn't be certain, but she thought he said, "Eclipse."

It was strange. She couldn't sense any Hollows nearby. She wondered if the Soul Reaper was on some other sort of business for the Soul Society.

_It doesn't concern me,_ she thought. _I doubt the Soul Society knows where I am._

She turned to face forward. That was when someone screamed.

She turned and saw people looking at some of the screens. Where there were once images of people celebrating America's 250th Anniversary there was now only blackness.

"What happened?" someone asked.

"I don't know," another said.

"A flash," a third said. "There was a flash and then…"

Orihime looked up at the Soul Reaper and saw something that looked like a detonator in one hand and was holding up a pair of binoculars in the other. Her eyes widened and she looked in the direction he was looking. She didn't see anything unusual, but she know that something was about to happen.

The burst of light told her all that she needed to know. She raised her hands to her temples.

"SANTEN KESSHUN, I REJECT!" she shouted without even thinking. The three rays of golden light that she knew were Hingiku, Lily, and Baigon raced from their positions and formed the triangular shield in front of her just as the force of the nuclear explosion was released.

Some of the people wanted to flee, but before they could react they were engulfed in a cloud of fire and ash. She watched in horror as cars were thrown by the blast as though they were nothing more than leaves in a hurricane. People screamed as limbs were ripped from their sockets by the explosion's mere force. Blood mixed with fire and the aroma of burning flesh was nothing to the horror that Orihime felt.

_No, Charles, Alice, Sean, Rachel! MY FAMILY!_

"NO!" Orihime shouted.

The shield before her held, but only for a moment. The force of the explosion caused it to shatter and Orihime felt the fire devour her.

_BURN…_

_BURN…_

_BURN…_

_**After The Downfall**_

_Death._

It was her first realization as her consciousness returned. The lack of fear in that moment was not surprising. Death had been part of her life since her brother had been torn away from her. That role had grown as she found friends and enemies among the dead. And with her career and family it was no exaggeration to say that her life revolved around death.

Yet, she had not really experienced it herself.

She knew what could happen, but she had never asked what it was like to pass from one world to the other. Would she awaken with a broken chain, or would she emerge into that new world as she emerged into the old world, naked and screaming?

There was no flash of light or return to senses. For a length of time that she could not measure she merely existed.

The pain came, ending the sensation of mere existence, bringing her final thoughts with it.

"THE CHILDREN!" she screamed without a voice. She struggled and raged with all her will to rise up, to let the darkness fall away and fulfill the ingrained need.

_To hell with the lack of a genetic link, I'm their mother!_

There was no change, no motion, no reaction. She could do nothing.

Screams gave way to silent wails as rage mixed with horror and despair.

_Is this Hell? I know it exists. I know that some horror waits beyond those chained gates. Were my sins so terrible?_

"Ridiculous conclusions as usual, Orihime," a voice called from the dark. It was a voice that she knew.

_Tsubaki?_

Lights appeared before her. They were no more than a colorful will o wisps, but she knew them. They were her Shun-Shun Rikka.

_Where am I?_

"You're alive, barely. By our sheer will you were held on the very verge of death. To be honest you are constantly dying and we are rejecting death each time it returns. To call it 'life support' gives your state too much credit.

"I suppose the best way to put it is to say that you're merely a corpse that hasn't finished dying yet," Tsubaki said.

_What about the children? Charles? You called me by my name, but why didn't the others speak?_

"If you had eyes, much less eyes to see, you would know that there was no way anything but you could survive so close to the epicenter. This corpse is buried by ash and ruin. They're all dead."

"Ach," she rasped with her ruined vocal cords. It hurt too much to speak, but her anguish demanded to be released. She wanted to weep, but no tears could come. "Ach, ach, ach! Aaaaaa!"

"Shut up. If you want to do that then do it in your head, but there's nothing I can do about it. To be honest, we had enough problems putting all of our energy to keep you from dying long enough to begin putting your body back together enough to start healing it.

"I am here to ask for your help. We need your will to further fuel our efforts."

_Can my power bring them back?_

Tsubaki looked at the others, but none of them reacted. Orihime could see that they were all weaker and were somewhat transparent. It was as though they were on the verge of fading away. Tsubaki sighed and shook his head.

"There's nothing left to use. Even if we found bones this fire is an affront to nature. It has tainted what it touched. We can only pull you back because our grip has not slipped."

_Then let me go. Let me die and follow them._

"No," Tsubaki said, his voice firm.

_No?_

"Our lives are tied to your life, not to some hairpins. If we die then we die as your mortal existence ends. One of us may be reborn as your Zanpakuto if you walk that path, but even if that happens, the others will be lost forever as far as we know. We don't want to die. Therefore, we will not let you die."

_You are my power. I demand that you release me!_

"Stupid girl, you never really understood us. You're not our master. You're our host. You gave us free will. You made us equal rather than servants out of the deep loneliness that hollowed out so much of your heart. We may have become reflections of your nature, but that doesn't change what we are.

"When that emptiness receded your will grew stronger. But now, more than ever, our will is stronger.

"We may need you, but it has only ever been in our interests to obey so we could be stronger through you."

_You're lying! I demand that you let me die._

"I have always been honest. You made me to embody the hard truths about yourself that you did not want to admit to. But even then you put a mask on me. In this matter, though, you don't have a choice. You can live as you want, but we will ensure that you live. And now it seems that we can indeed ensure that you live indefinitely, regardless of what you do."

She hated her Shun-Shun Rikka. They had taken away the sweet relief of death from her so that they would remain alive. She realized that they were little more than parasites feeding off her. Yet Tsubaki told her that they became reflections of her nature. Did that mean that she was like them: a selfish coward? Even if that was the case she didn't want to have to endure the pain of being alone.

_Please…please…don't…_

"No. Now, Orihime, return to darkness. We snese that Urahara is near. He will prove useful to completing this resurrection."

_**The Ruins**_

Kisuke Urahara and Tessai made their way through the devestation. Gray snow fell around them, covering the twisted steel and broken stones. Even though two weeks passed since the bombs were detonated fire still burned beneath their feet. The kido glowing around them only allowed them to walk here and even then it would be foolish to linger.

Even though the ruins of Los Angeles was a nightmare, it was nothing compared to what was happening throughout America. He already knew of various groups of survivors gathering into bands, desperate to survive. Warlords were already rising in the Rocky Mountains and the Deep South and Texas. The triage was still in effect and many were left to die. The waves of suicide had not yet reached its apex. Disease, famine, blood-shed, and chaos would reign for decades at least.

For better or worse, the old United States of America was dead.

Kisuke returned his focus to the small device he held as it began to beep. He looked at the screen and nodded. Tessai stopped and rubbed his leg as he leaned on a cane.

"This is it, Tessai."

"It can't be right, boss. Even if she survived…"

"You remember what she can do, and undo. I'm not ashamed to admit that I only have theories on what applies to her," he said, indicating a collapsed building.

They continued searching the general area. Kisuke looked at his device from time to time while Tessai performed kido spells designed to seek specified Reiatsu. Twenty minutes after Kisuke got the initial signal they came across the apex of an orange dome nearly buried by stone and ash. Tessai immediately performed the necessary kido to move enough debrish and ash to reveal what lay beneath.

Both men were hardened by wars and the horrors of science and kido, but nothing prepared them for what they saw under the dome of Orihime's power.

"She's dead," Tessai stated, bowing his head as though honoring the dead.

"But she isn't. This shouldn't be, Tessai," Kisuke said as he looked down at the revolting mass of charred flesh and bone that his instruments indicated was Orihime Inoue.

"We should break that dome. That would send her to the Soul Society. If her regeneration has not taken place yet, it means she would have to experience being brought back from this. Even the Sokyoku was not that cruel."

Kisuke thought about it and then shook his head.

"No. Her will to live has not been extinguished and there has been enough death. Make preparations to move her back to the shop. We still have a chance to save her."

Tessai looked at the charred and ruined remains under the golden dome and looked at Kisuke. His face was stern and his eyes betrayed some anger.

"Are you doing this for her sake or your own?" Tessai asked.

Kisuke didn't respond.

_Burn…_

_Burn…_

_Burn…_

_**The Soul Society, July 4, 2027**_

"Are you sure you don't need anything else, sir?" Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe asked as he held out a cup of tea to Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

"Yes," the old man said as he accepted the tea. The two men were on the small tea house's porch that overlooked Squad One's private garden. The bushes and trees were laid out in a zen style, subdued and elegant in the moonlight.

Sasakibe looked at the old Captain-Commander and wasn't surprised to see that he looked much older than he had the year before. It was as though the weight of his current decisions were taking their toll.

"I just need some time alone, Chōjirō. Make sure that no one interrupts me for the rest of the night."

"As you wish, sir," The Squad One Lieutenant said before departing.

Genryusai Yamamoto sighed and closed his eyes as the other man's presence retreated from his senses. Soon, the only sounds he could hear were the soft thump of a shishiodoshi and the singing of a nightingale. He opened his eyes and looked up at the moon, sipping at his tea. There was harmony and balance in the garden this night. He wished that things could remain like this forever, but he knew that it was impossible.

Even now, in the World of the Living, chaos reigned in the aftermath of the disaster that was continuing to unfold. The thought soured the tea in his mouth. It made the serenity around him seem little more than a façade. The thought brought about a recollection of a bit of wisdom imparted to him by a teacher of his long lost youth:

_"Remember, even when you face tragedy and defeat, there are those who know nothing of what is going on and are having the best day of their lives."_

The words were true, in their own way, but they did not lessen the tragedy regardless of how much one tried to reduce its size in scale.

Captain Kurotsuchi and his drones informed him that matters in the World of the Living were playing out in the best manner possible. Mayuri did not care about any loss of life as long as he achieved his goal. Yamamoto knew that it was a useful trait in an officer, but such apathy had its price.

Then there was the matter of Central 46. The members of Central 46 and their allies were forming their own private army that would not be answerable to the Gotei. Aizen's slaughter of their predecessors gave them the necessary justification for this action. The truth was that they knew that he had wavered. This had caused Yamamoto to keep his actions in the World of the Living secret from all but two of his captains, fearing the reactions of some and knowing that it would bring others to arms against him. Rather than reexamine their actions, the reaction of Central 46 was to find new ways around the Gotei to carry out their own devices.

Even though they had been informed of the circumstances developing in the United States following Aizen's death, Central 46 had ordered him not to interfere. Yet Yamamoto had disobeyed. He believed that Central 46 gave the order out of some sense of arrogance. They did not think that humanity could create a Senkaimon, and if they did then they would be able to either destroy it or control it to suit their own devices. Regardless, Yamamoto was afraid that they were wrong in either case. If the Living were able to create a Senkaimon, then nothing could stop the consequences.

The thought did not stop Yamamoto asking himself, _"Did I make the right decision?"_

Despite his doubts, Captain Kurotsuchi's reports proved that he did make the right decision. The deed had been done to the best of their ability. The truth was well lost by now, and the matter would end as a disaster and not the seed for future wars in the Soul Society. He had chosen the lesser of the two evils, as was the sum of his duties as the Captain-Commander.

Yamamoto closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the night, searching for some serenity. The elder Shinigami found something else instead. He felt another presence close by, but he did not open his eyes. This was the person he had been waiting for a year to come to him after what Kisuke told him.

"I knew that you would come," he said. "However, I thought you would have done so much sooner."

"I came when the time was right," his guest said. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Yes."

There was a pause and he could hear the footsteps on the stones. He still kept his eyes closed. He knew his past actions and he never tried to separate himself from them in his mind, but he still did not want to look upon the consequences. He found that in times that required cruel action the consequences were always bitter.

"Are you afraid, Old Man? Is that why you keep your eyes shut? Are you too afraid to look on what you've done?"

"Yes," Yamamoto whispered.

"Do you think I care about that? I want you to open your eyes and see what you've done to me. I want you to look on what remains of the one who got rid of Aizen and the Hogyoku for you. So open your eyes, Old Man, and look at me. It's the least you can do for the innocence destroyed by the Soul Society."

Yamamoto opened his eyes. The sight before the ancient Soul Reaper disgusted him. The young girl whom Ichigo had risked his life to save from Hueco Mundo was now a ruin of her former self. All of her hair had either been burned away or fallen out because of the radiation. Her naked skin was a mass of scar tissue mixed with areas still blackened from dead skin cells. Her chest was a shriveled mutilation of what had once, without doubt, made her an object of envy among her fellow women. The hands were further horrors, the fingers burned and curled into useless claws that were tipped with bare bone. One eye had been melted away, leaving a black pit in her ruined face while the other looked completely dead. The two hair pins she wore had been melted into her red and black scalp. The pins still glittered merrily in the moonlight, a travesty of cheeriness to a specter of death more fitting than any of the Gotei 13.

"I see," Yamamoto whispered.

"Do you really?"

"Yes. I see that I destroyed you in every way possible, Orihime Inoue. The ravages of the body reflect those of your soul. I know why you are here, and I know that I have no right to ask it of you, but…I…I ask for your forgiveness."

"How can I possibly forgive you?" Orihime asked. "You took everything away from me. You took away my children. You took away the man who loved me and who would have become my husband. You took away the home that I made with the people I loved. You took away everything I lived for. You shattered my hopes and dreams of actually living a normal life. Yet you sit there and dare to ask me for forgiveness."

"I did not expect to receive it," Yamamoto said and lowered his head. "I doubt that I would have given it if I was in your place. I understand…"

"You don't understand anything," Orihime snarled. "Before I do what I came here for, I want to know why. Why did you do it? Why did you throw the world into chaos? Why did you turn me into this?"

Yamamoto sighed. There was no reason to hide it.

"I did what I had to do to fulfill my duty."

Orihime didn't say anything, but Yamamoto knew that such a simple answer would not be enough for her. Orihime was his judge and executioner, and she deserved a full answer.

"The World of the Living was advancing too quickly. Over these past centuries they have hurtled forward to achieve more than even I would have ever imagined. Some of them even slipped through the boundaries of the world to walk upon the moon. Yet, they hardly matured with their power.

"You know their history, the useless folly and the risks they took. During the 'Cold War' I violated the laws that barred us from meddling in their affairs to ensure they did not destroy themselves and set the cycle into utter chaos.

"This time, though, they were getting too close to a truth that they were utterly unready for. A truth that some of Aizen's followers made sure got out, even if it was only bits and pieces. Your organization, the Institute for Spiritual Services, and the American military's 'Arrowhead Project' were a testament to how close they were coming," he told her sadly.

"You feared that the true nature of the world would be revealed to the masses? The government went to great lengths to cover that up," Orihime said.

"They would have failed," Yamamoto said. "Those who gained that knowledge would not let matters lie. The American leaders wanted to know and harness the new frontier that the research that Aizen's followers leaked to them would have given them access to. It was only a matter of time before they succeeded in gaining the power to rip the fabric between the Worlds by creating their own Senkaimon."

"But you use Senkaimon," Orihime said. "Aren't you contradicting your very words?"

"We use the Senkaimon so that the equilibrium of the living and the dead may be maintained. They would have used it the same way a virus uses an open wound: to spread.

"The Worlds are meant to remain segregated. No good has ever come of them mixing. The World of the Living is for the living and the dead should look forward not backwards. Yet, humanity wasn't ready to accept truths that they would not like. They would, as they have done so many times in the past, have judged in ignorance and act in arrogance and greed against the pillars that have held them up for ages," Yamamoto said. "They would have destroyed both us and themselves.

"I did what I did to make sure that both would survive.

"What I have done to you and the World of the Living was evil. However, it was the lesser evil, as has been the case with the many atrocities I have committed or permitted to unfold. Humanity has been set back. Under the cover of the current chaos we have purged the living of what they knew about the Senkaimon that did not burn. We will watch them closely now, to ensure they will not draw close to the truth until they are truly ready to understand their place in the order of the Cosmos. And that will only happen when all of humanity is finished with their petty bickering over politics and religion.

"The covered tracks will keep the truth hidden from the living and the dead alike, hopefully forever. Thus, it falls to you to pass judgment, Orihime Inoue. I could have stopped it, but I didn't. I gave the order and drew the sword. My life is the only one you need to take, because it is my fault more than any other."

Orihime remained silent. Her single dead eye looked at Yamamoto.

"Thank you for being honest," she said. "However, I do not forgive you for this just as I do not forgive Urahara for Aizen and for the role he played."

"Will you kill Urahara as well?" Yamamoto asked.

"No. I want him to live. Life is crueler than death for him," Orihime said in her monotonous voice. "You, however, are a different matter. As you said, you are responsible, and therefore the lives of the millions who died one year ago today are on your head. And unlike Urahra you may be able to live with this atrocity as you have the others before. If there is any justice in the world, any of the Worlds, then you must die."

Yamamoto lowered his head and nodded.

"I agree." He looked down at his cup of tea and placed it on the wooden floor. "There is no reason for you to grant me anything. However, I ask that you make it quick. I…don't want to risk someone interfering with the sentence and complicating matters further."

"I intend to make it quick. Your suffering would not serve any purpose. I only demand your death," Orihime said, maintaining her monotonous tone. She placed her scared hands to either side of her head, touching the petals of the hair pins with the tips of the bones protruding from charred flesh.

"Sōten Kisshun, I sacrifice," she said.

Orihime watched as Ayame and Shun'ō flew from the hairpins and raced towards Yamamoto. They landed on either side of the old man and formed their shield. However, this shield wasn't of golden light. It was the ghostly silver of moonlight.

Yamamoto didn't feel anything at first, but then he felt something begin to leave him as it was being consumed by some unknown force. He began to struggle for breath as his life was being consumed by death. A stubborn, desperate part of him didn't want to die. There was so much he had to do. There were still so many regrets that had yet to be atoned. There were so many burdens that would be passed down unfairly from him to the subsequent generations.

Yet his regrets and desires changed nothing. At long last, the strength was flowing out of him. His ancient Reiatsu, which had enabled him to take so many lives, was fading. He was, for the first time in his thousands of years, facing a power that he was powerless to stop.

_I'm going to die,_ he thought. That realization brought a sense of peace upon him. He closed his eyes and smiled as he listened to the nightingale's song. _This is what peace is,_ he thought. _It's…_

Yamamoto shed a single tear. Whether it was for the countless sorrows he knew or the relief of release none could say. The song of the nightingale became a lament in the peaceful garden.

With their work done, the two members of the Shun Shun Rikka returned to their mistress. Orihime waited for them to return to their place, wrapping her tight in their healing light as they returned to the long task of restoring their mistress in flesh as they couldn't in spirit. Orihime knew that it wouldn't take them much longer.

_I will not look back. I don't care what happens to the Soul Society, and I will not regret this decision._

Wreathed in golden light, Orihime walked into the night and out of the Soul Society for the last time.

_**Denver**_

Orihime watched the flames die down after consuming the sacrifice. The night filled with the explosions of the fireworks she once loved but now despised. The cacophony of blaring sirens and bugles and drums and patriotic fervor surrounded her. The flames on the holo-screens were replaced with patriotic images of long dead presidents and destroyed monuments in their former splendor. The charge for the upcoming year flashed across the images: PATRIOTS, RESTORE AMERICA.

_You can't go home anymore,_ Orihime thought as she looked at the images.

She looked at the faces in the crowd around her and wondered how many of them really understood what America was like before the Downfall. It was one of the few areas where she agreed with The General: America had enslaved itself with greed, gluttony, corruption, and complacency. America destroyed herself with her hubris, like Rome before her. It was the inevitable fate of all nations and empires and gods: to reach the mountain's peak only to have it collapse under the weight of their own glory.

For a nation or empire or god to survive then all that they could do was to develop the mindset that there was no pinnacle. There was only the climb; only the struggle.

It was a lesson that Aizen never learned and one that Yamamoto learned too late.

The faces around her betrayed that they didn't know that they were hoping for the mountain peak again. When they got there, she wondered if they would realize just how lonely absolute glory truly is and would thus allow the mountain to collapse and crush them again. The mountain top was, like the behelits in a manga she remembered from the old days, a cursed blessing. It allowed one to gain a view of the world that they would otherwise never see and yet it was a desolate place, demanding more than what it was worth.

_When one sees desolation they come to realize just how beautiful it can be and it changes a person,_ Orihime thought as she walked through the crowds. _Desolation tries to colonize those who truly behold it._

She saw the desolation and she saw that it was more honest than the façade paraded before her by the Soul Society and the World of the Living. She allowed desolation to colonize her and she found that everything in her life before the desolation was hollow. She had dreamt in vain and those dreams had long since been sacrificed to the flames, leaving nothing but their ashes without a phoenix.

**End of Chapter 11**

**A.N.: This is one of the riskiest chapters that Eduard and I have done thus far. Not only does is it completely divergent from the canon after a point in the Fake Karakura Town Arc (and even before it to some extent), but this is the first chapter in which past events really come to the forefront. This chapter revealed some of the reasons why things are the way they are in the Soul Society and the World of the Living. However, I also view this chapter as also the beginning of a personal odyssey for Orihime.**

**I sometimes think that Orihime is one of the most underappreciated characters in **_**Bleach**_**, with some only thinking that she's just a pretty girl who's nothing more than an airhead. However, I do believe that situations arise that really challenge a person and it is those situations that truly reveal who a person is. As a result, Eduard and I decided to make the end of the Second Aizen War Orihime's opportunity. **

**She realizes that, unlike her stay in Hueco Mundo, no one can come to the rescue on account that they're all either dead, too badly wounded to do anything, or struggling to stay alive. It is up to her to decide whether she will rise to the challenge, but isn't prepared for the consequences of her choice. It's the same in real life. We all make decisions that seem courageous and necessary at the time, but the consequences weigh on us and we begin telling ourselves "If only…"**

**The Downfall itself was inspired by two main sources: the cancelled-too-soon television series "Jericho" and the novel **_**Swan Song**_** by Robert McCammon. Restored America is inspired by a combination of George Orwell's **_**1984**_**, Italy under Mussolini, and the First French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte. The imagery of the March of Patriots was inspired by the Nazi propaganda film **_**Triumph of the Will**_**.**

**I couldn't resist having a couple of **_**Berserk **_**references added in, especially after reading Volumes 12 and 13.**

**Other nods in this chapter:**

_**Gravity's Rainbow**_** by Thomas Pynchon**

_**The Dark Tower: Song of Susannah**_** and "The Mist" by Stephen King**

_**Annihilation**_** by Jeff Vandermeer**

_**Attack on Titan: No Regrets**_

**Thank you for reading and please review.**


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